Making a difference
A "village for the vulnerable" keeps 350 families from starvation. Kerry Cullinan reports.
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AIDS threatens sustainable development
The Aids epidemic, unless it is brought under control, is one of the greatest threats to sustainable development in many parts of the world, Peter Piot, executive director of UNAids said.
A woman who had what it takes to fight living with HIV
29-year-old Nombeko Mpongo of Gugulethu is one of thousands rape survivors who do not have access to anti-retrovirals. She contracted HIV after four men raped her in 1997. Nombeko said although it was difficult at first to talk about the ordeal she's learned that there is life after HIV. Now she helps other HIV positive people to fight for their survival.
AIDS scientists to make recommendations to govt
Within three weeks, the country'€™s top HIV/AIDS scientists will present the Department of Health with a range of recommendations on how to deal with HIV/AIDS. Kerry Cullinan reports.
Two years ‘€“ how far have we come?
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It'€™s almost two years since the first Living with AIDS programme went out on air. In this audio report, we listen back to some of the voices of people whose lives and work highlight key issues that still challenge our society.
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“Don’t take us back to the violence”
Before 1994, families were murdered and houses burnt in clashes between the ANC and IFP. Once again political tension between the two parties is on the rise, yet the wounds of the past have still not healed.
Parents and sex education
It is the duty of the parents especially to educate their children about HIV/AIDS and the use of condoms. Boyce Mgcina a traditional healer from Izifo Zonke Traditional Healers and an HIV/AIDS counselor at Zola Clinic in Soweto says in most cases fathers become not just heads of the house but also role models to their children '€“ girls and boys irrespective. Mgcina says traditional healers should talk often about HIV/AIDS during imbizos.
Time to talk about desire
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What would make you change your sexual behaviour to ensure you were safe from risk? In this audio report, the head of the Centre for the Study of AIDS, Mary Crewe, talks about the shortcomings of many of the messages that have been used in South Africa to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. She argues that until messages acknowledge the context in which people are living and recognise the importance that emotions like desire have in motivating sexual behaviour, AIDS prevention messages are unlikely to help people change their risky sexual practices.
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Beat It!’ – a healthy dose of hope Living with AIDS programme 87
There are many messages in our media about how to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, but there is comparatively little public information on living with the virus. In this audio report we meet the presenters of the latest series of Beat It - the only TV programme that offers practical information about managing HIV/AIDS and ensuring a better quality of life. Nombeko Mpongo and Vuyani Jacobs are both HIV positive and draw on their personal experiences in hosting the TV series. Beat It! is on e-tv on Tuesdays at 4.30pm and repeated on Sundays at 11.30am. It runs for 12 weeks and ends on November 3, 2002.
Spain has worst AIDS record in Europe
Spain is  the European country most affected  by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. According to Michael Meulbroek of Projecte Del Noms, an organization that helps people with information and counselling on HIV/AIDS,  the Spanish government  refuses to supply condoms and offers no treatment for people  with HIV/AIDS. The 2001 UNAIDS Report on the pandemic says there are 130 000 people living with AIDS in Spain -  26 000 are women and 1 300 children.
Uganda’s inspiring AIDS story
It's been sixteen years since President Yuweri Museveni came to power and throughout this time he has maintained a commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS. HIV/AIDS is listed among the top three priorities of government which include peace and security and economic empowerment. And this commitment is paying off. Uganda has reduced its HIV prevalence rate from a high of 30 percent to between 6 and 8 percent today. The credit for this effort comes from a multi-sectoral response which includes the efforts of non-government organisastions, religious groups, communities and, above all, the political will from the government says Dr Alex Coutinho of the Uganda AIDS Commission.
How an engineer helped Jonathan to jump
Creative brilliance by a group at UCT's Mechanical Engineering department has seen the development of novel prostheses for cancer patients at a fraction of the cost. For many patients the alternative is having the limb amputated. Jonathan (19), the first patient to receive a prosthesis recently had a check-up, over a year after receiving the implant. He spoke to Health-e about the experience of having to learn to walk all over again.
Minister asks Global Fund to redirect AIDS grant
Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala Msimang sent a letter this week to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria requesting that its R720-million grant to KwaZulu-Natal be channelled through the SA National AIDS Council to be disbursed throughout the country.
Uganda shows what can be done
Living with AIDS programme 85
In Uganda, a concerted effort by political, community and religious leaders as well as the country's health sector has reduced HIV prevalence from a high of 30 percent to between 6 and 8 percent today. In this audio report we talk to Dr Alex Coutinho of TASA - The AIDS Support Organisation in Uganda - about what the country has done to destigmatise the disease and reduce HIV prevalence.
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UN fund struggles for dollars
The Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations for HIV/AIDS in Africa, Stephen Lewis says while  scientists are doing their utmost  to address HIV/AIDS, politicians have shown little  commitment. Proof of this is the struggle to raise the 10 billion dollars needed for the  United Nations Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria to save the lives of more than 2 million Africans.  Only two billion dollars of  the ten billion dollar target has been raised.