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        WORLDWIDE NETWORK TO MONITOR THE AIDS PANDEMIC LAUNCHED
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        To highlight the 15th year since AIDS was identified in 1981, the AIDS
Control and Prevention (AIDSCAP) Project of Family Health International, the
Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights of the Harvard
School of Public Health and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS) launched on December 1, 1996--World AIDS Day--the Monitoring the AIDS
Pandemic (MAP) Network, a worldwide network to monitor the status
and trends of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and internationally disseminate the
findings.  A collegial network that has been formed to collect and share
information internationally, MAP embodies the expanding response to the global
HIV/AIDS pandemic and the cooperation between AIDSCAP, Harvard's Bagnoud Center
and UNAIDS.

        Comprised of 75 members from institutions and countries around the
world, the MAP Network will: collect and analyze information on the status and
trends of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic; identify the information needs for
improved monitoring and forecasting of the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and
actively promote the filling of those needs; monitor the effects of prevention,
care and social interventions on the regional epidemics and their impact;
develop and disseminate regional and global consensus reports on the above;
and, convene workshops and/or produce occasional reports on specific issues
which explore the forefront of knowledge and improve our understanding of the
global situation.

        An Interim Steering Committee, initially chaired by Dr. Daniel
Tarantola of the Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights of
the Harvard School of Public Health, will direct the MAP Network.  Chairs will
revolve among the three cosponsoring institutions, and the Network's Interim
Secretariat will be based at the AIDS Control and Prevention (AIDSCAP)
Project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.  For further
information, contact: Mary O'Grady, AIDSCAP/Family Health International, 2101
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201, USA; tel: (703) 516-9779, ext. 196; fax:
(703) 516-9781; e-mail: [log in to unmask]



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                        NEW PUBLICATION
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FORTIFICATION OF STREET FOODS EXPLORED

A new publication by OMNI entitled  "Street Foods in Developing Countries: The
Potential for Micronutrient Fortification" explores the possibility of
delivering key micronutrients to urban populations through meals, snacks, and
drinks retailed by street vendors.

In developing countries, street foods provide an affordable source of food to
many sectors of the population, including students and the urban poor.
Recognizing that micronutrient deficiencies are a major health problem in many
developing countries, the paper examines whether street foods can be fortified
with vitamin A, iron, or iodine to help alleviate micronutrient malnutrition.

The publication reviews the available research on street foods, the many
varieties of street foods, country-specific ingredients, the methods used
to process and prepare street foods, and the opportunities street foods
present for fortification. It also examines ways in which street foods
could be used to introduce new micronutrient-rich foods to consumers.

The document stresses that some form of processing is necessary for
fortification of street foods to work. Ingredients that are centrally
processed, such as flour and sugar, or processed foods retailed by
vendors, such as corn chips and bottled beverages, provide the best
opportunity for including fortified foods into the street food trade. A
system to monitor the level of fortificant should also be in place.

The paper recommends that consumer consumption patters be studied to
determine which populations eat street foods on a regular basis, what
kind of foods are most popular, how much street food people routinely
consume, and the role street foods play in the overall dietary intake of
urban populations. It also recommends exploring nutritional issues such
as food safety and nutrition education as well as the importance of
street food vending to the economy.

A copy of this publication is available upon request from
OMNI
1616 North Fort Dyer Dr, Suite 1100, Arlington, Virginia
22209 USA - Tel: 703 528-7474 - Fax: 703 528-7480
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
WWW: http://www.jsi.com/intl/omni/home
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