Many obstacles to healthcare for rape survivors
Rape survivors are not getting the healthcare they need.
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Call to save nurses from contracting TB
The Democratic Nurses' Union of South Africa (DENOSA) is calling upon the Health Department, to strengthen safety measures to protect nurses from the highly infectious Multi-Drug and Extremely-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
Cost of vaccine spells pneumonia for kids Living with AIDS # 301
The World Health Organisation has called on governments to include a childhood vaccine, known as Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, which acts against pneumonia and meningitis in their national immunisation programmes. Pneumonia is the leading cause of death in children globally, and more so, in countries with a high burden of HIV.
Locking up XDR TB patients is ‘extreme’
The detention of patients with extremely drug resistant (XDR) TB should only be considered as a last resort when all other voluntary measures have failed, according to the South African health department. By Chris Makhaye & Kerry Cullinan.
ART no incentive for displaced populations Living with AIDS # 300
Refugees, asylum seekers, economic and undocumented or illegal migrants all flock to South Africa for particular reasons. Often, locals believe that these are to steal away what belongs to South Africans, such as health care. Two refugees who benefit from the South African health care system explain that when they fled their countries of origin, it wasn't to seek antiretroviral therapy.
Guidelines to end health service’s xenophobia Living with AIDS # 299
As with every citizen, refugees have rights, including the right to health care. In line with that the Southern African HIV Clinicians' Society and the United Nations' High Commission for Refugees recently launched a policy to guide health workers in the region on providing antiretrovirals to refugees.
Insurers waive discriminatory AIDS exclusion clause Living with AIDS # 298
From April 1st, insurance companies belonging to the Life Offices' Association, will no longer deny policy holders life, disability or funeral cover benefits should they become infected with HIV.
Educate TB patients – experts
Medical experts say that lack of education about TB among patients is contributing to the development of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB).
WHO TB Strategy out of reach for many endemic countries
A much larger TB drug resistance problem exists than researchers previously thought. New global data on TB, published this week by the World Health Organization (WHO), highlight serious weaknesses in many national TB programmes, increasing the potential for widespread TB drug resistance. How did we reach this precarious state?
TB – Better management brings Khayelitsha success
Not much good news tends to emanate from Khayelitsha. More often than not the sprawling Cape Town township is associated with high levels of violent crime, poverty, disease, unemployment and a lack of basic services and housing. But the township has made huge inroads in tackling TB, a curable disease that mostly infects people living with HIV and poor people.
Drug resistant TB poses greatest risk to healthcare workers
Until recently, Mandla* was a nurse at a Durban hospital. But for the past few months, he has been a patient trying to shake off multi-drug resistant (MDR) TB.
Drug-resistant TB calls for new techniques
The emergence of Extremely Drug Resistant Tuberculosis is an indication that national TB control programmes fall short from being effective. As part of improving these and preventing a massive spread of the deadly strain of TB, improved methods of diagnosing the disease are needed.
Higher risk of TB in HIV+ kids ‘ study
Children under the age of two born to HIV-positive mothers are at risk of getting TB, but the risk doubles if the child also has HIV.
Acute burden of active TB in HIV+ kids
Scientists are trying to protect children born to HIV positive mothers from getting TB, the most common infection suffered by people with HIV.
Off the map Living with AIDS # 297
A new publication, 'Off the Map', shows how the exclusion of sexual minorities in national HIV/AIDS programmes in Africa could jeopardise the continent's efforts to rid itself of the epidemic.