Health e News
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The emergence of Extremely Drug Resistant Tuberculosis is an indication that national TB control programmes fall short from being effective. As part of improving these and preventing a massive spread of the deadly strain of TB, improved methods of diagnosing the disease are needed.
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Children under the age of two born to HIV-positive mothers are at risk of getting TB, but the risk doubles if the child also has HIV.
A new publication, ‘Off the Map’, shows how the exclusion of sexual minorities in national HIV/AIDS programmes in Africa could jeopardise the continent’s efforts to rid itself of the epidemic.
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A researcher at the Witwatersrand University’s Analytical Pathology Department, Dr Zodwa Dlamini, says home-made African traditional beer may not be as toxic as it’s recently been reported to be.
In what is termed a ‘historic’ meeting, government, civil society and business leaders are today coming together for the last of a two-day summit in Johannesburg to finalise the country’s AIDS plan for the next five years.
Legalising commercial sex work, programmes against alcohol and drug abuse, subsidies for people who adopt orphans and food support for HIV positive moms who breastfeed exclusively are some of the innovative new interventions contained in government’s draft plan to fight HIV/AIDS.
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Medical experts have cautioned against male circumcision being promoted as the only effective method to prevent HIV infection.
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A recent report by the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has slammed African governments’ programmes on HIV/AIDS on their continued failure to address the needs of same-sex practising people in Africa.
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As the cure for HIV and AIDS remains elusive, scientists are pinning their hopes on preventative measures, including a protective vaccine. Wits University’s Soweto-based Perinatal HIV Research Unit has just started work on the largest vaccine study ever undertaken in the country.
The Departments of Correctional Services and Health as well as AIDS advocacy groups have begun urgent talks that could see the parties reaching an out-of-court settlement on the provision of anti-retrovirals to prisoners at Westville Prison in Durban.
Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has been appointed acting health minister while Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang remains in Johannesburg Hospital’s high care unit.
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A major HIV vaccine trial is underway in five sites across South Africa. As the country and medical research community alike are coming to terms with the abrupt end of a microbicide candidate vaccine trial, Dr Busi Nkala, Director of the vaccine study at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, says the safety of patients is a key priority throughout the trial.