Health e News
Several anecdotes suggest that patients with HIV, AIDS and TB might be defaulting on their treatment for fear of losing their temporary disability grants should they get better. Some of these anecdotes further allege that some people might even go as far as exposing themselves to the HI virus.
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Traditional healers’ are accusing medic group, Doctors For Life, of opposing every attempt aimed at giving traditional healers the same legal recognition as that of Western medical practitioners.
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Being young is often associated with risky behaviour – and research is showing that in South Africa the youth often take astounding sexual risks. But is this intentional dare-devilish behaviour?
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Unwanted teen pregnancy is a significant socio-economic and health challenge in South Africa. Despite this, the rate of teenagers falling pregnant continues to rise dramatically.
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The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society says the ongoing public servants’ strike might negatively impact those receiving their antiretroviral treatment from public hospitals and clinics.
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Physicians are concerned that as the national public service strike continues, patients receiving ARV medication in public sector health facilities could default on treatment – a situation which is life threatening for patients.
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Presenters at the Durban Aids Conference have agreed on the urgent need for clinical trials of traditional medicine currently used by a wide spectrum of HIV infected South Africans.
Four weeks ago, we reported that Defence union, SASFU is taking the South African National Defence Force to court over what it calls ‘discriminatory policies’ on HIV/AIDS. This week, we hear how the union argues in court papers that the SANDF has made HIV a career-limiting factor for positive members and recruits alike.
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While South Africa has taken ‘giant leaps’ by reaching consensus on a national response to HIV/AIDS for the next five years, the biggest challenge is its implementation, Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka told the third national AIDS conference at its opening last night (Tuesday).
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The French humanitarian group, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders is calling upon the South African government to remove restrictions which prohibit nurses from prescribing antiretroviral treatment from the scope of nursing practice.
‘Consensus’ is the theme of the third South African AIDS conference, which opens in Durban today (5 June) and, for the first time ever, it appears that agreement is possible between government, scientists and AIDS organisations on a wide variety of issues.
The lack of public sector antiretroviral programmes is no longer the reason why many HIV-infected people in Africa will die prematurely. A chronic shortage of staff to administer these programmes has now become the greatest challenge to saving lives.