FDCs the way to go
Berlin - Patients are at risk of developing resistance to Tuberculosis medicine due to lack of access to quality treatment, according to a report presented at the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health.
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Battling DR-TB in Khayelitsha
BERLIN - It is a myth the drug-resistant TB is concentrated in Eastern Europe, with high levels of the disease reported from Khayelitsha in Cape Town, an epidemiologist told the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health.
TB vaccine critical, but money tight
BERLIN - An important tuberculosis vaccine trial among HIV-positive participants in Klerksdorp has been paused this year due to funding constraints as governments and donors pull back in the face of struggling economies.
New TB drugs on the horizon
BERLIN - Although still a couple of years away - new, effective, affordable, better tolerated, short course ' tuberculosis drugs are in the pipeline and showing promise both for drug sensitive TB and the more complex drug-resistant TB.
Treat pneumonia or no MDG
BERLIN ' Unless South Africa takes action to prevent and rapidly treat childhood pneumonia ' the biggest killer of children under five in developing countries ' reducing infant mortality and reaching Millennium Development Goal 4 will remain a pipedream.
HIV rate stabilizes in pregnant women
Although the HIV prevalence rate for pregnant women has been virtually the same over the past four years at 29.2%, this was still a 'high and unacceptable' level.
HIV prevalence going nowhere
Results of the 20th antenatal surveillance survey, which were released this week, show that South Africa's HIV epidemic is not gaining nor is it slowing down. But does this mean that the country's efforts in combating HIV are paying off?
Massive TB breakthrough unaffordable
BERLIN ' AIDS activists are calling for the price of a machine which drastically cuts the diagnosis of drug-resistant tuberculosis to be reduced making it affordable to the regions where the epidemic is most serious, including South Africa. The development of the Gene Xpert is hailed as one of the greatest breakthroughs in TB control.
TB: Invest now or pay later
BERLIN ' Unless the money needed for tuberculosis is invested now the world will face a drug-resistant epidemic that will affect everyone in the world, warned Dr Nils Billo, Executive Director of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union).
Health-e Journo scoops award
Health-e is very proud to announce that our print journalist, Lungi Langa has won first prize in the 'Stop TB' Excellence in Reporting on Tuberculosis competition (low- or middle-income-country category).
Counting the need Living with AIDS # 456
Tshwane is home to over 80 000 AIDS orphans, while 30 000 residents need antiretroviral therapy. This is according to a comprehensive survey conducted in the municipality. The report also suggests that the uptake of counseling and testing services is low - even in the midst of a massive HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT) campaign that government instituted in April.
‘I am scared’: the frightening reality of breast cancer
Breast cancer is the most common female cancer in South Africa, affecting approximately 1 in every 29 women. Whilst cancer cannot always be prevented, early detection does allow for a greater chance of a full recovery. In this insert Nosipho Mgoma shares her reality of breast cancer and shows that it can affect younger woman and if detected late, can have devastating consequences.
Orphans get raw deal Living with AIDS # 455
The development of children orphaned as a result of AIDS is at greater risk of health and social ills, conference is told.
TAC tackles the Tara Klamp
The Treatment Action Campaign has published a four part series on what they call 'a massive unethical medical intervention' in Kwazulu-Natal.
Hospital stamps out illiteracy
The Red Cross War Memorial Children's hospital has set up a mobile library to foster a love of reading among children admitted to the hospital.