In what promises to be a bruising court battle, the Health Minister and nine health MECs indicated yesterday, (Wednesday 12th) that they would contest the Treatment Action Campaign's demand for the anti-AIDS drug Nevirapine to be freely available to pregnant HIV positive women.

A step-by-step explanation of how the government'€™s programme to prevent mother to child transmission of HIV works, from ante-natal HIV testing to birth and beyond.

Third World Network, Oxfam International and Health Gap Coalition are accusing US trade policy of robbing the poor of their health and have launched a petition to try and change US president George Bush's mind on the matter.

The World Conference Against Racism has heard how stigma and intolerance promote discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS which in turn impedes their access to health care and medication.

Human genetic engineering has the potential to divide humanity into "super-humans" and slaves, and this "gene-ism" could "eclipse racism as the most destructive force on the planet", according to Boston University's Professor of Health Law, George Annas.

The media in South Africa tend to be irresponsible, ignorant and inaccurate when reporting about HIV/AIDS. That's the analysis of the President of the Medical Research Council, Professor Malekgapuru Makgoba. Zackie Achmat of the Treatment Action Campaign agrees. He cites a lack of informed stories in the South African media on issues such as good nutrition, health economics and the economic impact the disease has on the country.

The National Children's Forum on HIV/AIDS helped break the silence among children regarding their experiences of HIV/AIDS. The forum encouraged children to speak freely and gave them the chance to speak to government representatives about their problems in the hope of getting assistance. In this Sesotho audio package the children talk about some of the hardships they endure.

South African scientists, with colleagues around the world, are actively engaged in the search for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection. Researchers at universities and at the National Institute for Virology of South Africa are both partners and competitors in their bid to find the critical vaccine. This audio report in Xhosa explains more about the process and who's involved.