17 August 2001

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HIV does cause AIDS – Makgoba

Health

An interview in Sesotho and English with the head of the Medical Research Council, Prof Malegapuru Makgoba. He explains that HIV is the only cause of AIDS. Poverty can only exacerbate the impact of the virus.

Health-e News
August 17, 2001

Doctors shortage increases fears for rural health

Health Systems

A chronic shortage of staff is mainly responsible for the deterioration of patient care in a number of state health facilities, particularly in rural areas and small towns, according to Dr Elma de Vries, newly elected chairperson of the Rural Doctors' Association of SA.

Kerry Cullinan
August 17, 2001

Racial bias still distorts social services

Health Systems

There was an urgent need to make healthcare facilities and services for the elderly more accessible to the entire population in the Western Cape and not only to those living in Sea Point and Claremont, delegates argued at the recent racism conference held in the province.

Anso Thom
August 17, 2001

Community service doctors – adequately filling the gaps?

Health

In certain hospitals the shortage of doctors has led to a three-fold increase in the infant mortality rate. This statistic can be reversed easily in those hospitals that are sufficiently staffed and adopt a team approach. In this audio report we hear some views about whether the community service programme for doctors is working as a means to redress the shortage of doctors in rural areas.

August 17, 2001

AIDS treatment promotes positive outlook
Living with AIDS programme 44

Health

The anti-retroviral therapy programme being offered free of charge to adults in Khayelitsha, Cape Town by the Western Cape government and Medecins Sans Frontieres aims to show that it is possible and economically sensible to treat people living with HIV/AIDS.

August 17, 2001

Recognising rural doctors as the highest skilled in the land

Health Systems

Despite the fact that most rural doctors work in more difficult conditions than their urban counterparts, they generally enjoy fewer benefits and are often treated as second class citizens by the medical fraternity. In a presentation to the annual conference of the Rural Doctors Association of South Africa this past weekend the dean of the medical faculty at Wits University, Prof Max Price, suggested a new approach to begin to value rural doctors for their skills.

August 17, 2001

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