In a dramatic turnaround, the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government has withdrawn from government's appeal today (1 March) against the court ruling compelling it to provide Nevirapine to pregnant HIV positive mothers -- and has instead joined forces with government's court opponent, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC).
There is a close correlation between how young people perceive their future options and their chances of engaging in risky sexual behaviour and contracting HIV. This is one of the conclusions from a recent survey among South African youth which also shows that although parents see HIV/AIDS as one of the biggest issues facing their children, very few parents are comfortable about talking about sex and relationships with their children.
As more and more families are affected by the AIDS pandemic, and already strained health services are unable to cope, home-based care programmes are assuming increasing responsibility for the sick and dying. In this audio report, the deputy director of the South Coast Hospice in Port Shepstone, Mabuyi Mnguni talks about the work they are doing. The South Coast Hospice has been widely praised as a "best practice model" for its home-based care service for people with HIV/AIDS.
There is keen interest from top management in the programme, and a desire to see a gradual expansion of PMTCT sites. The existence of an experienced medical doctor as part of the management team is a strength. At regional and site level, management appears to be much weaker with a great deal of tension between roleplayers.
There are no good reasons for delaying the gradual and phased expansion of prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services in all provinces, a research report commissioned by the health department has revealed.But the report also highlights that given the difference in capacity and infrastructure, it is reasonable for provinces to expand the provision of PMTCT services at different speeds.
RIETVLEI - Only two nurses run the entire prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme at Rietvlei Hospital in rural Umzimkulu in the Eastern Cape.
Beleaguered health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has labelled as 'completely untrue' a newspaper report which claimed she had re-opened the 'does HIV cause AIDS' debate' at a recent ANC caucus meeting. And in another development a detailed evaluation of the 18 prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) pilot sites will be released this week, and may clear up much of the confusion around the technical issues hampering the immediate roll-out of the programme.
In a move that seems to have baffled even those close to her, Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has opted to lash out at Gauteng's moves to expand the nevirapine programme that will see the distribution of the drug to thousands of HIV positive pregnant women in the province's hospitals. The only possible explanation for her outburst comes from a lone voice in the health department who claims that she had been angered by the fact that she had read about Gauteng's expansion plans in the media.
While Wednesday's national budget speech pledged significant additional spending on HIV/AIDS and included the progressive roll-out of a mother-to-child prevention programme, it is likely that by this time next year, there will be a growing call for government to grapple with the cost of providing antiretroviral treatment for adults. In this edition of "Living with AIDS", people who are currently part of a free treatment programme talk about the difference it has made to their lives.
Health economists have welcomed the R1 billion allocated in the 2002-2003 budget for the national HIV/AIDS programme - although some have cautioned that it will be important to see that this money reaches those provinces worst affected by the epidemic.
Although Finance Minister Trevor Manuel made no moves to make social income grants accessible to older children, over 60 organisations dedicated to addressing social security issues on behalf of South Africa's millions of poor and vulnerable children welcomed the R20 increase in the child support grant, but hastened to add that it was still not enough.
A Basic Income Grant of as little as R100 per month will make a huge difference to the lives of those who have nothing. That is the message that children at a presentation organised by the Alliance for Children's Entitlement to Social Security (ACESS) sent to representatives from government and other concerned institutions. The presentation was attended by delegates from NGOs, human rights organisations and the media. Although it was organised for government, only a handful of officials attended. A common thread in the presentation was how a lack of income in homes prevents children from accessing an education.
TB can be cured - so long as there is sufficient commitment to take the treatment from start to finish. Thandeka Teyise spent a morning at the TB Clinic at NY 1 Gugulethu Clinic talking to health workers and those on TB medication and filed this report in isiXhosa.
A clear statement ' demonstrating the intent to steam ahead on the MTCT matter - has now come from the ANC's health committee. ANC national health secretary, Dr Saadiq Kariem told Health-e that the committee was convinced, following political discussions and directives, that those provinces where the PMTCT programmes could be rolled out, those who have the capacity and resources, should go ahead.
Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang describes the problems faced when trying to expand the MTCT programme in all nine provinces. She indicates that those sites ready to expand, should go ahead, but points out that there are many provinces facing huge barriers.
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