Anso Thom

News

New lease for PMTCT

Returning the focus to an HIV prevention method that has been known to work for over a decade holds the key to not just eliminating paediatric AIDS, but putting South Africa on the road to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, reducing deaths among mothers and children, uplifting health systems and drawing men into HIV services.

Anso Thom
July 21, 2009

Health, Health Systems

Moves to decrease AIDS funding slammed

CAPE TOWN ' Voices warning against moves to decrease and limit spending on health - blaming the financial crisis - are increasing in volume at the 5th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2009).

Anso Thom
July 21, 2009

Health, Women's Health

Male circumcision does not decrease sexual satisfaction

CAPE TOWN - Nervous giggles filled a meeting room at the 5th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2009) yesterday when discussions turned to the sexual satisfaction of the female partners of circumcised men and the 'cosmetic outcome' of the circumcision.

Anso Thom
July 20, 2009

Health Systems

National doctor strike imminent

There are strong indications that public doctors will reject the salary offer presented at a media briefing by health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and embark on a national strike.

Anso Thom
June 25, 2009

Health Systems

NHI presented to ANC

An ANC task team charged with developing a National Health Insurance (NHI) plan for the country if due to present its proposal to the party this weekend.

Anso Thom
June 2, 2009

Health Systems

Rush job on NHI?

An ANC task team headed by the former Director-General of Health Dr Olive Shisana and heavily laden with trade unionists, is trying to convince the ANC and government to hastily implement a National Health Insurance (NHI) plan that many believe spells disaster for the buckling public health system.

Anso Thom
May 28, 2009

Health Systems

New Health MECs

All nine provinces have now appointed their health MECs. Some of the appointees appear to be unknown outside of their province with very little or no information available on their political careers. Others are senior office bearers in the ANC and its alliance partners.

Anso Thom
May 13, 2009

Health

HIV controllers may hold key to vaccine

DURBAN - Understanding how the immune systems of a group of people who are HIV infected are able to spontaneously control their infection for years could give scientists the crucial clues needed in the search for a therapeutic vaccine.

Anso Thom
April 2, 2009

Health

Preventable disease costing lives

While HIV and tuberculosis are hitting the headlines daily, thousands are quietly dying of lifestyle diseases, many which can be prevented if diagnosed and treated early.

Anso Thom
September 2, 2008

News

Opposition blasts about turn on medicine registration system

The opposition has hit out against the about turn by the ANC members in the health committee who last week rejected the minister's two-tier medicines registration system, but are now supporting it.

Anso Thom
August 26, 2008

Health

Strict on medicines, soft on ‘natural remedies’

OPINION PIECE:It is time government showed the same vigor in tackling the snake oil salesmen as they have in tackling conventional medicine and science.

Anso Thom
August 18, 2008

Health, Women's Health

Help to get cervical cancer vaccine to women who need it

Hope is at hand for South African women unable to afford a new vaccine to combat cervical cancer as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI Alliance) has announced it plans to get the vaccine to high burden populations.

Anso Thom
June 27, 2008

Health

Health workers need ‘compassion revolution’

CAPE TOWN - South Africa's public healthcare practitioners need a 'revolution of compassion' if they hope to make any meaningful impact on the HIV epidemic or poverty, Dr Shan Naidoo told delegates at the Public Health conference which started yesterday (3 June).

Anso Thom
June 4, 2008

Health

Non-communicable diseases will kill us in future

Chronic ailments such as heart disease and stroke are the chief cause of global deaths with infectious diseases including HIV and Malaria predicted to have a lesser impact worldwide over the long term, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).