HIV impact on childhood development
The impact of HIV in children does not only manifest through poor physical health. Often, children living with HIV have difficulties with their cognitive development.
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Telling a child they have HIV
Sibusiso is a 10-year old boy who doesn't know why he has to take medication for the rest of his life while his friends do not. His mother has told him that he is taking antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, but struggles to tell him why. She speaks to Health-e.
Urban women bear brunt of AIDS in KZN
The face of HIV/AIDS in KwaZulu-Natal is a woman in her thirties living in eThekwini, according to a study released this week.
Only 5.4% of the world’s population covered by smoke free laws
ISTANBUL, Turkey '€“ Only 5.4% of the world's population was covered by comprehensive smoke-free laws in 2008, up from 3.1% in 2007, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported today in its second report on the global tobacco epidemic.
Cambodian women chew tobacco for morning sickness relief
GENEVA '€“ Tobacco control that focuses on cigarette smokers in Cambodia misses a huge number of women who chew tobacco, according to research published today in the international public health journal, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
Improving survival of HIV+ babies
HIV-positive babies will have an improved chance of survival following the implementation of government'€™s revised anti-retroviral (ARV) policy. All children living with HIV under one year of age will receive treatment as soon as they are diagnosed.
TB report ‘€“ Millions cured, but too many still dying
Some 36 million people have been cured of tuberculosis (TB) over the past 15 years through a rigorous approach to treatment, according to the World Health Organisation. However, last year 1.8 million people died from TB including half a million deaths associated with HIV - many of them because they did not access antiretrovirals.
Zulu king lauded for medical male circumcision move
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has welcomed King Goodwill Zwelithini'€™s announcement this weekend that he supports medical male circumcision and will encourage his followers to undergo the procedure which could prevent up to 60% of men acquiring HIV.
Resources needed to effect policy change Living with AIDS # 415
President Zuma finally ended any ambiguity in the government'€™s response to AIDS when he announced changes to improve AIDS treatment this week. But for these policy changes to be real, the new-found political commitment must be accompanied by the commitment of resources.
Inadequate access to female condoms questioned
Activists are concerned that the limited access to female condoms as a means of HIV prevention compared to male condoms is a violation of human rights. Annually, the government distributes over 400 million condoms compared to three million female condoms.
The price of denial
In June 1999 Thabo Mbeki became president. And so began one of the most destructive episodes in our recent history '€“ AIDS denialism. Mbeki questioned the very existence of a sexually-transmitted virus that caused AIDS.
Top SA scientists challenge denialists on AIDS stats
South Africa'€™s top scientists and researchers have come out in support of health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi after the furore over Home Affairs supplied AIDS death statistics he quoted recently - which may have been incorrect.
Finally, a World AIDS Day to remember
President Jacob Zuma has announced the most significant government-led interventions to stem the AIDS epidemic since its emergence more than 20 years ago, stating that extraordinary measures are needed.
HIV home-test kit to be piloted
South Africans may soon be able to get an HIV home test kit to enable them to find out their HIV status in private.
Hospital finds ways to work with traditional healers
Western medicine and traditional healers have long been at odds with one another about how to treat HIV/AIDS. But in the Umgungundlovu district, which has the highest HIV prevalence in the country, integration of the two is starting to happen.