The fact that South Africa's HIV prevalence rate stands at well over 20% and that of Thailand at less than three percent, illustrates the choices the two nations made about 10 years ago, according to William Makgoba, president of the Medical Research Council.
A new drug called Tenofovir is being researched to see whether it can prevent HIV infection if it is taken before a person is exposed to the virus. Kerry Cullinan reports.
In the depressing statistics frenzy that often characterises world AIDS conferences, there is one shining success story that defies the stereotype. Uganda is poor, rural and in sub-Saharan Africa. Those three factors alone should condemn it to being a helpless case in the eyes of the developed world.
It's been two years since the world met in Durban to exchange knowledge and experiences about the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This Sunday, the 14th International AIDS conference opens in Barcelona, Spain. In this audio report two researchers working in Khayelitsha, Cape Town give a preview of papers they will present at Barcelona detailing the provision of antiretroviral therapy in resource-poor settings through the public health system.
The scale of the worldwide AIDS crisis now outstrips even the worst-case scenarios of a decade ago with even worse yet to come. The latest report released by the Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS (UNAIDS) shows that the epidemic is still at an early stage of development and its long-term evolution is still unclear.
South African activists and scientists will play a prominent role in the 14th International AIDS conference which opens in Barcelona on Friday.
South African activists and scientists will play a prominent role in the 14th International AIDS conference which opens in Barcelona on Friday.
Stigma and discrimination are sadly all too often associated with HIV/AIDS. In this audio report two women who are open about their HIV positive status recount their experiences at the hands of neighbours. Nontsikelelo endured a prolonged beating with a sjambok, but fought off a man who attempted to rape her, claiming he wanted to "taste" what it was like to have sex with someone who has HIV. Zoleka was sworn at and had her house damaged by neighbours jealous of her life who claimed she didn't deserve to be happy as she was a "walking coffin". Mandla Majola of the Treatment Action Campaign speaks out about the need for perpetrators to be brought to book.
Cosatu and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) are to table a national HIV/AIDS treatment plan in the National Economic, Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) following the first national treatment conference which concluded in Durban yesterday (sat).
"Between April and June this year more than 300 000 children were registered to receive social grants." This is according to Dr Zola Skweyiya, the Minister of Social Development. But in this report by Khopotso Bodibe, Skweyiya says that the low number of children who are receiving foster care and care dependency grants is cause for concern. The Ministry of Social Development has earmarked two-billion rands to disburse as arrears payment to grant beneficiaries under these categories between now and August.
The director general of health, Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, a keynote speaker at the national HIV/AIDS treatment conference which began in Durban last night, decided at the last minute not to attend the gathering.
In this audio report, the health MEC for Gauteng tells Khopotso Bodibe that post exposure prophylaxis for rape survivors will be available at seven public hospitals by the end of June.
Going for an HIV test is far more successful than mass communication in getting people to change their sexual behaviour. But less than 10% of HIV positive South Africans know they carry the virus.
On May 29, the Minister of Health announced protocols for the use of post-exposure prophylaxis against HIV for rape survivors in public health facilities around the country. In this series of interviews, Khopotso Bodibe spoke to a number of provincial health ministers to find out what plans were in place to implement the protocols. The answers he received were mixed. First in line was the MEC of Health in Limpopo, Sello Moloto.
A nurse should be a caring and loving person with good listening and communication skills say student nurses at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Gauteng. It also takes hard work and dedication. Thandeka Teyise joined the first year students on their rounds at Chris Hani Baragwanath and found out what motivated them in their chosen profession.
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