Concern over theft of ARVs
Civil society organisations want to see government taking a firmer stand to stop antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) from being smuggled onto the black market.
Health
Read More » Concern over theft of ARVs
Children fall through cracks of TB programme
With about 500 000 South Africans estimated to be newly-infected with tuberculosis annually, South Africa is a TB high-risk area for children. Yet, no data exists on the incidence of paediatric TB and very few children are diagnosed.
Dis-Chem pass the buck on Holford
Dis-Chem this week responded to criticism after their involvement in the tour to South Africa of vitamin salesman and author Patrick Holford.
Call to respect the right to health care Living with AIDS # 469
Health campaigners in east and southern Africa want the United Nations to develop a policy framework to ensure that countries honour and implement the right to health care.
Breakthrough in TB diagnostics
Tuberculosis is the leading cause of natural death in South Africa and over 10% of all new TB cases are drug resistant. One of the most important measures for controlling the spread of the bacteria is quick diagnosis and treatment. Revolutionary new testing technology may make this possible.
TAC: TB neglected
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) says Tuberculosis (TB) is underfunded and progress action against the epidemic is slow. TB has been one of the most important causes of premature death in South Africa, made worse by the HIV pandemic.
XDR-TB nurse recognised
In a profession often marred by disillusionment, poor resources and negative publicity, some nurses still manage to uphold their ethics and even risk their lives by working in highly infectious environments.
Devil Bones
Every child in South Africa will have come into contact with drugs by the time they leave secondary school. One in three will have taken them. Increasingly, the drug of choice is heroin.
TAC and docs tackle Dis-Chem over Holford
The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society and the Treatment Action Campaign have demanded that Dis-Chem explain its decision to host vitamin salesman Patrick Holford.
‘We have a major problem’ ‘ head of TB programme
South Africa has a serious TB epidemic and many patients are not even diagnosed. The country also has the third highest TB burden in the world, says head of SA's TB programme.
Stigma, poverty & false information contribute to TB defaulting
The city of Johannesburg's Health Department says it is struggling to bring down the rate of city dwellers defaulting on TB treatment. In 2009, the city had a 6.9 % defaulter rate. The target is to bring it down to less than 5%. Health-e News Service visited a clinic in Marlboro to see what the difficulties are.
‘Bazooka’ against TB launched
The health department has bought 30 multi-million rand machines that can diagnose drug-resistant tuberculosis within two hours rather than the usual four weeks.
DOT supporters want to help
TB DOT supporters have a tough job ensuring that patients take their medication and offering them the necessary support. Health-e News Service asked two DOT supporters what truly drives them.
Government’s DR-TB plan
South Africa is moving towards decentralising the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) care to primary care level, but will continue to hospitalise those patients who are ill or infectious.
90 years later BCG is still the TB vaccine
BCG vaccine, the only currently available vaccine against TB and despite its limitations, is still one of the most important weapons in the arsenal against TB in young children.