About 279 000 people were diagnosed with tuberculosis in 2004 - up from 185 000 cases detected a year earlier. But while South Africa'€™s TB detection rates are improving, only a few people are getting cured.

While government efforts to improve TB services have yet to bear fruit, there is some hope in the field of drug development.

After her first unpleasant experience with antiretrovirals in 2001, this week Selinah Mashinini, speaks of how hope, faith, confidence and the love of her children made her try the medication one more time '€“ and she has never looked back.

In a bid to inspire his young fans to follow his example, Springbok wing Ashwin Willemse announced this week that he had taken an HIV test.

Despite being severely disabled, Goodman Vilakazi of Orange Farm has set up a literacy project to help the old and disabled in his community, and part of their syllabus is to about HIV/AIDS.

The Medicines Control Council says that it is finalising its investigation into the activities of multivitamin businessman Dr Matthias Rath and his foundation, which include an unapproved clinical trial on HIV positive people in the township of Khayelitsha, in Cape Town. But, the actual investigation is being carried out by officials within the Department of Health.

'€œUnethical'€ and '€œunscientific'€ are some of the words being used to describe the activities of vitamin businessman Dr Matthias Rath, who claims that his brand of multivitamins can reverse the course of AIDS.

The unchallenged actions of Dr Matthias Rath and his foundation, are undermining government'€™s policy to provide comprehensive treatment for HIV and AIDS and endangers people'€™s lives. These concerns are in a letter written to the Western Cape'€™s Health MEC Pierre Uys and signed by 199 health professionals. Spokesperson for the group, Dr Andrew Boulle, spoke to Health-e.

Government'€™s lack of leadership in the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its mixed messages about antiretroviral drugs has created fertile ground for those against medication to misinform people living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa. We report on another treatment programme taking advantage of the situation.

Dr Matthias Rath'€™s unshakeable belief that nutrition alone as well as micro-nutrients can save the lives of people living with HIV and AIDS has endeared him to some. Yet, it has also made him the pet hate of many. We assess Dr Rath'€™s crusade of feeding copious amounts of multi-vitamins to this country'€™s HIV-infected citizens.

The tendency by most men to avoid or refuse professional medical help often puts the lives and well-being of their partners at risk.

Despite her HIV status and the depression it sometimes brings her, Pinky Tiro remains committed to helping others with HIV, even at the expense of her family and even when she feels her education work makes little impact.