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This brief resource highlights the link between development and innovation, and knowledge and information accessibility. The process of creating an informed society depends not only on the availability of information technology and infrastructures, but also and primarily on people, as the creators and users of knowledge. The paper calls for improvements in the e-readiness of developing countries, higher literacy levels and better protection of the right to information

Older people in low-income countries are more likely to develop mental problems, due to the stress and worries caused by the uncertainties and lack of security. Because of stigma and limited access to health services and treatment, their condition often goes undiagnosed. This issue reflects on how old age and poverty impact on mental health and suggests positive approaches and ways of promoting good mental health, such as the 'guided autobiography' which helps older people to plan their future. Includes articles on how to recognise depression, practical approaches to dementia and how to help carers to cope

The Chiradzulu programme is one of MSF's largest. MSF currently provides HAART to more than 13,000 patients in 56 projects spread across 25 countries. These programmes provide a continuum of care, including prevention efforts (health education, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV), voluntary counselling and testing, prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections, HAART and nutritional and psychosocial support. Although the Chiradzulu project is still evolving, and treatment systems and point of care continue to be modified, the project has already shown that when treatment is adapted to local conditions and is supported by human and financial resources, rural health systems can effectively provide comprehensive HIV/AIDS care

The paper explores paradigms, arguments and evidence on which international agencies draw in discussing early childhood development (ECD). These include assumptions about poverty and the role of ECD in reducing poverty, assumptions about ‘the robustness’ of ECD and the contexts in which ECD takes place. Two case studies, one from Swaziland and one from Kazakhstan are used to explore strengths and limitations. The paper concludes that almost all the evidence for the effectiveness of ECD in determining cognitive, social and economic outcomes is drawn either directly from the North, particularly from the USA, or relies on assumptions drawn from work carried out in the North as a basis for recommendations in the South. The paper points out that ECD may be a useful form of practical relief to mitigate childhood poverty in particular circumstances and this could include children affected by HIV/AIDS. There is a section on page 35 on early childhood development and HIV/AIDs. Other vulnerable children are noted as those with time poor mothers and those in situations of war and conflict

This report presents estimates of the total cost of providing comprehensive antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in the public sector in Nigeria, using the AIDSTREATCOST model to estimate the cost of providing Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), voluntary counseling and testing, and opportunistic infection (OI) treatment, and other resource requirements for implementing the national antiretroviral treatment programme. Drugs are not the only major cost of an ARV programme, but they are the largest single component ($368, or 50 percent of the total annual programme cost per patient); monitoring tests account for 23 percent and labor costs for 22 percent of total programme costs. A large proportion of current treatment costs is borne by the patient -- $170 per year for monitoring and a further $86 for their contribution to ARV drugs. This is equivalent to almost 75 percent of per capita GDP and therefore well beyond the resources of most Nigerians. Patients also are expected to pay for VCT services ($11), and for OI treatment costs when these arise. The development of an effective ARV programme, therefore, must include support not only for ARV drugs but all aspects of patient cost. The report also examines financial and human resources requirements for achieving the World Health Organization-recommended targets and recommends a number of strategies for the government and development partners to consider regarding program expansion, human resources training and requirements, support for VCT, the high cost of monitoring tests, and drug cost