Impaired linear growth (stunting), is one of the most common manifestations of vertically-acquired HIV which can adversely impact bone and muscle development and function, particularly during adolescence – a critical period of somatic growth. We hypothesize that the accrual of bone mass in children with HIV during growth may be reduced, which will put them at increased risk of adverse musculoskeletal outcomes e.g. fracture risk earlier in life compared to

The World Health Organization (WHO), the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) began development of the Global Tobacco Surveillance System (GTSS) in 1999 to track tobacco use across countries using a common methodology and core questionnaire. The GTSS includes the collection of data through 3 surveys: the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) for youth; the Global School Personnel Survey; and the Global Health Professions Students Survey for adults. The GTSS is intended to enhance the capacity of countries to design, implement, and evaluate tobacco control and prevention programs and to monitor the key articles of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

Key findings from the study revealed that knowledge regarding the priority nutritional interventions that were associated with improved child nutrition and health was fairly high among the service providers. Communities in the study districts were aware of the critical part played by the various components enshrined in the Essential Nutrition Actions (ENA) framework in ensuring a good nutritional status for children. The study established that the CBNCP was a success.

The Zimbabwean government over the last few years has been putting in place national policies, such as the National Orphan Care Policy (1999) to mitigate the HIV and AIDS epidemic’s impact on children, particularly the situation of OVC. The National Orphan Care Policy led to the development of the National Action Plan (NAP) for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children whose vision was to reach out to all OVC in the country with basic services. 

This was a multi-country project commissioned and coordinated by the Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town (Dr Olive Shisana & Prof Leickness Simbayi) that included Zimbabwe, South Africa and Botswana, with Mozambique and Lesotho coming on board later during the implementation of the project. The project involved baseline studies conducted in 2003 and 2004 in Manicaland and Matabeleland South Provinces in Zimbabwe.