For Immediate Release

VIENNA, Austria/EWORLDWIRE/July 2, 2010 --- PAMOJA, the Austrian HIV-AIDS watchdog organization, is reassured to see that the International AIDS Society (IAS) announced last Monday that it has "decided to conclude Ms. (Robin) Gorna's term of service as Executive Director of the IAS."

While no reasons were given for her termination as Executive Director in the brief announcement on the IAS website, PAMOJA was deeply unsatisfied with her lack of leadership on the issue of corruption and board and committee membership in the IAS.

Members of PAMOJA had repeatedly brought to Ms. Gorna's and IAS President Julio Montaner's attention the hypocrisy of the IAS demanding "Rights Here; Rights Now" at its Vienna 2010 conference while admitting into its own leadership ranks an individual who is documented as having participated in unscientific HIV technology procurement decisions that led directly to substandard care and the gross violation of the human rights of patients in Tanzania.

Dozens of HIV+ members of PAMOJA's partner organization PIUMA have died prematurely since 2006 because of appalling conditions at the Bulongwa Lutheran Hospital in Makete District, Tanzania. Current data shows that important testing of patients and laboratory investigations were not done and treatment was delayed for months or years for some patients at the hospital, with no justification or reason. Monitoring of potentially life-threatening side effects was poorly performed, and patients were not switched to better alternative therapies. PAMOJA affirms this abuse of human rights is directly linked to corruption, theft, and lack of accountability by local and national authorities in Tanzania and by international donors, especially the Lutheran churches of Germany and Austria.

PAMOJA agrees with the President Elect of the IAS, Elly Katabira, in his recent blog post when he admits widespread "... irresponsibility as recipient countries in handling donor funds that target the poor, particularly those in need of life-saving medicines." He goes on to say that recipient countries "... need to convince the G8 nations and other donors that we are committed to caring for our patients by being transparent in the way we handle donor funds." (See http://blog.iasociety.org/post/2010/05/12/ARV-Cutbacks-Reach-Crisis-Level.aspx)

PAMOJA commends Dr. Katabira for his truth-telling and extends his call to action, demanding greater accountability from international donor agencies and NGOs as well. PAMOJA is calling on the IAS to make financial and program accountability for delivery of services its primary focus for the next two years and its theme for its next international gathering in Washington, D.C., in 2012.

Contact:

Fabian Wirnsperger
Chair, PAMOJA
Email: office@pamoja.at
Cell: +43 650 533 88 27
Address: PAMOJA - TOGETHER - Association for Intl. Cooperation, Marxergasse 23/11, 1030 Vienna, Austria/Europe
Web: www.pamoja.at

For further information watch documentary "Who killed Veneranda" at http://www.pamoja.at/videos.html.

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CONTACT:
Fabian Wirnsperger
PAMOJA
Marxergasse 23/11
Vienna, Austria 1030
PHONE. +43-650-533-88-27
EMAIL: office@pamoja.at
http://www.pamoja.at

SOURCE: PAMOJA - TOGETHER Association for Intl. Cooperation

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Photo: Veneranda Sanga (size: 1.0 kb)
Veneranda Sanga (age 17), youngest PIUMA member, died on 28th of February 2009 due to the lack of proper testing and laboratory investigations.
http://www.eworldwire.com/mediauploads/31125_441870_1277951679.jpg