For doctors who qualified in the 1970s or 80s, the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS in South Africa in the past 10 to 15 years has left many of them ill-equipped to respond to the needs of patients with HIV or AIDS. In an effort to solve the problem, the South African Medical Association (SAMA), has been running three-day courses for General Practitioners in various parts of the country. At one of these courses in Cape Town, the association invited Elaine Maane, Provincial Co-ordinator of the National Association of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS (NAPWA), to talk about how people with AIDS want to be treated by doctors.

Wednesday, November 14th was observed internationally as World Diabetes Day. To some people the day doesn't bear any significance whatsoever, but to others like Michelle Kannemeyer, a travel and tourism student at Cape Technikon, the day has greater significance. Michelle Kannemeyer is 18. When she was eleven months old she was diagnosed with diabetes. Doctors refer to this disease in children and young people as Type 1 diabetes. To survive for the past 17 years, Michelle has been on a strict programme of insulin injections because her pancreas cannot produce insulin naturally. In this audio report in Sesotho and English, Michelle speaks about life with diabetes and how she copes with it.

In preparation for the testing of an AIDS vaccine early next year, medical workers find that the real test they have to deal with now is the recruitment of people to participate in the trials for the vaccine initiative. One hospital encountering this challenge is the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, in Soweto. Keletso Mmoledi, a Research Nurse and Co-ordinator of the hospital's Vaccine Research Unit, talks about efforts to encourage people to register as participants for the trial programme. This report is in Sesotho.

How does a child begin to understand that her mother is going to die because of AIDS? This is the story of the Letsoalo children, who live in the village of Segoreya, Mentz, outside Pietersburg in the Northern Province. The head of this family is a young, unemployed, widowed HIV-positive mother. She lives with her five children in a one-roomed corrugated iron house. Like many other families in South Africa who have someone who is HIV-positive, the Letsoalo's experience rejection in their community. And it is the children who suffer the most. This audio report is in Sesotho.

A frequently asked question by those who might consider volunteeting to be part of the Phase One trials to test for an AIDS vaccine in South Africa is, "how will this benefit me?" Keletso Mmoledi, a Research Nurse and Co-ordinator of the Aids Vaccine Research Unit at the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Hospital, talks about some of these benefits. This report is in Sesotho.

In 1998 the Department of Education started a sex education pilot programme in public schools to teach young people about the dangers of unprotected sex and the need for responsible sexual behaviour. In South Africa, statistics show that the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is more rife among the youth from age 15 to 25. Last year, the Department of Education formally introduced the Sex Education Programme, as part of the Life Skills Project in schools. Harry Gwala High School, in the Western Cape is one of the few schools that is implementing the project. This audio report in Sesotho and English.

Medical practitioners and researchers are working against time to find a vaccine against AIDS in South Africa. The first Phase One human trials are scheduled for early next year at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. Other sites around the country will also conduct trials as soon as they are ready. Keletso Mmoledi, is a Research Nurse and Co-ordinator of the hospital's Vaccine Research Unit. Here she tells us where they are with the process. This audio report is in Sesotho.

The ANC had lashed out at comments by Democratic Allicance leader Tony Leon who claims that the Western Cape was likely to "turn into a replica of the other provinces that pandered to President Thabo Mbeki's bizarre views on AIDS". "This statement is nothing more than political chicanery and a desperate attempt by Tony Leon to muster support for a misguided political strategy to win the hearts and minds of the Western Cape populace," is the response from the ANC's health committee. ANC National Health Secretary Dr Saadiq Kariem believes that it will be irresponsible to remove the funding from MTCT sites that are already up and running.

Government has indicated that it will attempt to further address the needs of some of the Northern Province communities, whose plight was highlighted by Health-e recently. The articles told stories of people dying of hunger in the rural areas of the province, the majority of them HIV positive.

Nozuko Ngcaweni, a young mother who was diagnosed HIV positive two years ago, says people should work together to understand the reality of HIV/AIDS and stop blaming those who live with the virus.