Millions of mothers across the globe at one stage or another are faced with their babies'€™ uncontrollable crying. This leads to many sleepless nights for both mother and child.The causes for such uncontrollable crying are many, but according to Professor John Ireland a specialist on children illnesses at the Red Cross Children'€™s Hospital in Cape Town, up to 30 percent of infants suffer a bout of "colic". Thandeka Teyise reports.
Thousands of music lovers gathered at the Staying Alive Concert at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town to show support to the people living with HIV/AIDS . Alicia Keys Grammy Award winner, Usher, P. Diddy, Zola and Mandoza shared the stage and the message was one to stay safe and condomise. Thandeka Teyise asked Alicia her understanding of the pandemic in Africa and in South Africa in particular.
A group of Guguletu youth some victims of domestic violence and some affected by it say the government should put harsher punishment to perpetrators of rape, women and children abuse. National Adolescent Friendly Clinic Intiative '€˜s Sbongile Pilane and his peers all adolescent are trying to make change to thousands of other youth in their township educating them about their sexual rights and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Thandeka Teyise spoke to the youth asking them their views on domestic violence.
Zola also known as Papa Action of Yizo Yizo fame says South African musicians have taken HIV/AIDS seriously and almost every day they convey a loud and clear message about the pandemic through musical performances and shows. He says the coming of Alicia Keys, Usher and P.Diddy to perform at the Staying alive Concert will boost the morale of musicians and will add more emphasis on the message local musicians are trying to put across.
Non-governmental organisations are providing sterling service when it comes to the provision of Home-based care for people living with HIV/AIDS says Dr Fareed Abdullah of the Western Cape Department of Health. In this report we talk to patients who benefit from the Red Cross Society'€™s Home-based Care Project in Khayelitsha.
Although October was Mental Health Awareness month in South Africa, Professor Margaret Nair of the Psychiatric Department at Nelson Mandela School of Medicine says mental health is still stigmatised by government, communities, medical aids and media who often resort to sensational headlines. Professor Nair stresses that disorders like depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, substance abuse and eating disorders can affect anyone and need to be understood by society at large. Thandeka Teyise compiled this report.
National Union of Mineworkers president, Mthuthuzeli Tom says efforts by motor industries to combat HIV/AIDS, are welcomed by his organization but added that a lot still needed to be done to curtail the spread of HIV in the work place.
The time has come for men to become actively involved in combating violence against women says Bob R F Phato who presented a Men'€™s Forum petition Deputy President Jacob Zuma recently. Phato said the unacceptably high level of HIV infection was also a men'€™s issue and that men should begin to assume greater responsibility for health.
Men Care Enough to Act was the theme of the Men'€™s Imbizo held in Parow and Langa near Cape Town recently. Men in Partnership against HIV/AIDS also gathered in Cape Town to voice their frustration and disappointment at those men who continue to abuse women and children. The main focus of the event was the role men can play in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic and sexual and domestic violence in South Africa. Well-known South Africans such as Steve Khompela, Caesar Molebatse, Dumile Mateza, Blondie Makhene as well as hundreds of men from the nine South African Provinces attended the forum to show their support.
Khaya Nkontso, coordinator of PPASA'€™s Men As Partners programme, is trying to help raise men'€™s awareness around issues of reproductive health, sexuality and HIV. Khaya says not all men are violent and want to dominate women. He says many men are showing a greater willingness to become involved in health issues that affect themselves as well as women and children. One of Khaya'€™s aims is to educate men about HIV/Aids, sexual violence and how to work in partnership with their wives or lovers.
Brian Smith, Human Resources Director at Volkswagen South Africa'€™s Uitenhage plant says that although his company has been involved in HIV education for quite some time a formal policy was only implemented in July this year. The National Union of Metal Workers is working with the company to make a success of the programme. Mr Smith was reluctant to confirm HIV prevalence at VWSA saying the company was awaiting results of saliva tests that were recently taken from workers. Thandeka Teyise reports.
Sam Ndunyana is a peer educator who works at the Mercedes Benz Body Plant at Daimler Chrysler in East London. On Mondays peer educators are allocated 10 minutes to educate and do talks on HIV related issues to their fellow colleagues in the canteens. Ndunyana says this has been an eye opener for him on HIV related issues he was not aware of. Thandeka Teyise compiled this report.
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