Health e News
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After the birth and sudden death of her fourth child in 1997 the 27-year-old Nokwanda learnt that she was HIV positive. Writer SUSAN WINTERS tracks the final four years of Nokwanda’€™s life and the emotional and physical journey of the brave Eastern Cape mother and her family.
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When it comes to HIV/AIDS in South Africa there is no shortage of heartbreaking stories. But there are also many life-affirming testimonies about remarkable people making a difference. Among these are the staff and volunteers of Hospice in 60 branches around the country who offer holistic care not only to patients sick with AIDS, but to their families as well.
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The multiple impacts of HIV/AIDS on our society requires an imaginative response. In the rural areas outside White River in Mpumalanga, the Masoyi Home Based Care project co-ordinates a variety of activities to enable the community to respond to the challenges created by HIV/AIDS and poverty.
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The health department aims to provide 53 000 people with AIDS treatment by March of 2005. At present, about 8000 people are receiving free antiretroviral therapy in the public health sector. Health-e spoke to Dennis Matwa of the Treatment Action Campaign about the Civil Society Monitoring Forum launched recently to monitor the government’€™s Comprehensive HIV and AIDS Treatment Plan.
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A lack of targeted prevention and sexual health services puts men who have sex with men at a disproportionately greater risk of contracting HIV than the rest of the population. That is according to a pilot study conducted by Wits University’s Peri-natal HIV Research Unit.
Consumers using prescription drugs are confused and it’€™s hardly surprising. The health department recently implemented a range of regulations to reduce the price of prescription medicines and to ensure transparency. Opposition from pharmacists has added to the confusion and, in some instances, a hike in drug prices.
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Uganda’€™s efforts to reduce its HIV prevalence rate from a high 18% to 6% in a population of 24 million has earned it the title of Africa’€™s success story in the fight against AIDS. But, as Health-e News Service reports, activists are concerned that Uganda’€™s success story might breed complacency.
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HIV positive children are often discriminated against in schools if their HIV status is known, but the South African Children’€™s Rights Bill stipulates that children have a right to be protected against unfair discrimination. Health-e visited a crèche that accepts only HIV positive children in Khayelitsha and compiled this report.
The most common cancers affecting women are breast and cervical cancer. A regular pap smear can help women detect cervical cancer early when effective treatment is possible.
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Last week we heard about South Africa’€™s first HIV counselling and testing service for couples ‘€“ the Tshwarisanang Centre based at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, in Soweto. This week, a couple talks about how this service has benefited them.
Parliament’€™s social cluster group, lead by health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, presented a progress report in parliament last week which included updates on the national school nutrition programme, the extension of the child support grant, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
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Education officials from around the African continent unanimously suppport abstinence messages but argue over condom distribution at schools.