Ways of dying
Government cannot afford to treat all terminal AIDS patients in state hospitals. But unless the state invests significant funds in home-based care, it will simply be the cruellest form of privatisation. Kerry Cullinan reports.
Health
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AIDS vaccine tested on apes shows promising results
Scientists are excited by the reaction of monkeys injected with an AIDS vaccine similar to that which is due to be tested in South Africa within months.
Children can’t wait for Cabinet
One in four South African children are stunted by malnutrition. Children's organisations are calling for a basic income grant to be given to all children under the age of 18.
Row brewing between ANC and South Peninsula Municipality over smoking laws
While the rest of country is implementing the new smoking legislation that came into effect on Sunday, Cape Town's South Peninsula Municipality is being accused by the ANC of stalling the process. The municipality  is in the process of rescinding a by-law that takes precedence over national law, but the ANC's National Health Secretary Dr Saadiq Karim says they have been given ample time to make the changes and should be fined.
Enough is being done for those living with HIV, but more children should be saved – NorthWest Health MEC
Until access to more affordable AIDS drugs becomes a reality, government has responded as best as they can for those living with HIV, according to NorthWest Health MEC Dr Molefi Sefularo.He said the province'€™s aim was to follow urgently on the mother-to-child transmission pilot phase with the expansion of the programme to the rest of the province. "In the end, no child must be born with a lifespan predetermined by HIV and AIDS to be no more than five years."
Drugs seem to help rape survivors
None of the rape survivors given anti-retroviral drugs by Sunninghill Hospital has become HIV positive, according to Dr Adrienne Wulfsohn who heads the hospital'€™s accident and emergency unit. Kerry Cullinan reports.
Volunteers for AIDS vaccine
Many concerned South Africans, including radio DJs, have volunteered to be injected with the country'€™s first HIV/AIDS prototype vaccine, according to HIV/AIDS expert Professor Salim Abdool Karim.
Pressure and politics cloud top AIDS job
The pressure of responsibilty for holding down the top AIDS job in the country weighs heavily on the slight shoulders of Dr Nono Simelela, head of the national HIV/AIDS Directorate. However, there is no doubting her her commitment to facing up to the challenges that confront her.
Smoke ban enforced
From Sunday (1 July) the ban on smoking in public places was enforced. Smoking is now only allowed in specially designated areas that do not take up more than 25% of the public space and are separated from the non-smoking area by a solid partition. Kerry Cullinan reports.
Loans for life
Living with AIDS – Programme 38
In this feature on "Living with AIDS" the World Bank's Dr Mamphela Ramphele speaks about the merits of loans to combat HIV/AIDS. Sue Valentine spoke to Dr Ramphele when she visited South Africa last week and asked her as a medical doctor and as a South African, how she felt about South Africa' s response to HIV/AIDS.
Living with AIDS – Programme 38
Critical thought and cool logic
Dr Mamphela Ramphele is one of five managing directors at the World Bank in Washington. On a recent visit home to South Africa she spoke out about the need for African governments to value intellectual rigour, the need for incentives for skilled professionals and the value of investing in anti-retroviral treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS
W Cape expands AIDS drug programme
The Western Cape has announced its intention to expand significantly the anti-retroviral drug programme to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. This move is in sharp contrast to the national Department of Health's slow roll-out of the mother-to-child prevention programme which is limited to pilot sites around the country - most of which have yet to get underway.
Drug company price cuts include NGOs and private sector
As part of its offer of cheaper anti-malarial and certain HIV/AIDS drugs to the developing world, GlaxoSmithKline will extend the offer to non-government organisations and employers in Africa that provide HIV/AIDS treatment to their staff.
HIV/AIDS treatment must not be narrowed down to anti-retroviral drugs – Health minister
Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang this week addressed the United National General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in New York. She said singling out the issue of anti-retroviral drugs was undermining the efforts made by many developing countries in dealing with pandemic. This is the full speech she delivered to the assembly.
No logic in investing in our people, but not treating HIV/AIDS – Mamphela Ramphele
Always outspoken, World Bank managing director Dr Mamphela Ramphele, has made made it clear that South Africa needs to articulate its AIDS plan to the world, not only via the health minister, but also the president. This AIDS plan should, according to Ramphele, include anti-retroviral treatment for those living with the disease. Health-e caught up with her on a recent visit to Cape Town where she received an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, the University of Cape Town.