Health e News
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We pick up on the theme of last week’s ‘Living with AIDS’ feature. Informal studies show that about one in five couples in Africa are in a discordant relationship, meaning that one partner has HIV and the other doesn’t. The chances of one partner eventually getting infected by the other are not really known. Hence, experts recommend that couples should go for testing together.
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Senior Vice-President of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, Dr Wayne Koff, has denied media reports that his organization is using citizens of developing countries as ‘guinea pigs’ to test ineffective vaccines that have failed elsewhere.
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Knowing your own HIV status can set your mind at ease. But knowing both your and your partner’s HIV status could even save your life. We meet a couple that clings to the belief.
The Belgian-based pharmaceutical company, Glaxo-Smith-Kline, has introduced a new vaccine to prevent six child-hood diseases. The vaccine ‘the first of its kind in South Africa – is aimed at protecting children against whoopping cough, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B.
Old Transkei emerges as country’s poorest area, while the living is easy in the West Coast.
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‘Branded VCT’, which used a popular fashion label to get young people to test for HIV late last year, showed that brands have a unique ability to influence society.
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South Africa’s Medical Research Council (MRC) is investigating whether more than 20 women who have become HIV positive during a scientific trial, had been infected as a result of use of the microbicide that was being tested to prevent infection in the first place.
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About 208 former employees of the Nuclear Energy Corporation of South Africa (NECSA) in Pelindaba, Pretoria are suffering from asthma, cancer and myetoma. Although the cause of their illnesses is not clear, it is believed that they are suffering from occupational diseases.
The tobacco industry is trying to convince Parliament not to adopt more smoking controls at hearings on the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill of 2006.
Health MEC decides to ‘lead by example’ at launch of provincial HIV testing campaign.
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South Africa’s response to the AIDS epidemic will continue to fall short as long as government efforts do not consider addressing issues specific to men who have sex with men as part of its prevention and awareness programme, warn activists and experts.
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In our series profiling South Africa’s ‘AIDS legends’ of the last 25 years, we meet Supreme Court of Appeal Judge, Mr Justice Edwin Cameron. His selfless support of the cause against AIDS is inextricably linked to his own infection with the HI-virus.