A collection of quotes on what those involved in the court case and those most likely to be affected have to say.

Despite praising the Department of Health for effectively managing malaria, the South African Health Review today warned that there had been a dramatic rise since 1996.

Health economists have responded cautiously to Finance Minister Trevor Manuel'€™s "generous" allocations towards interventions targeting HIV/AIDS.Manuel announced a R300-million supplementary allocation for targeted HIV/AIDS interventions in 2002/03 and R313,5-million in 2003/04.

From 1 April, government will offer HIV positive pregnant women in Durban and Pietermaritzburg the anti-retroviral drug, nevirapine, for free to prevent them from transmitting the virus to their babies. Kerry Cullinan reports.

The United Nations Secretary-General says HIV/AIDS is the biggest challenge of our time and has called for intensified and broadened political and financial commitments by nations in their response to the AIDS crisis.

Almost two years after Gauteng?s Commission of Inquiry into Hospital Care Practices, the provincial Department of Health has been working to implement some of the commission's recommendations -- aimed at ultimately improving hospital services. But senior specialists at the province?s two largest hospitals believe that little has changed. In fact they believe certain things are worse. Is this a fair assessment or have things changed, even though progress may be slow. Anso Thom spoke to those at the coal face?

The Western Cape Health Department confirmed this week that the results of tests conducted on a man suspected of carrying Congo Fever are positive. The  Maitland abbatoir worker is being treated in an isolation ward at Groote  Schuur Hospital. About 90 people, including family, colleagues and health workers have come into contact with him, but what are the facts around this disease?

International poverty relief organisation, Oxfam has thrown its weight behind the South African Government and AIDS activists'€™ attempts to bring affordable life-saving drugs to marginalised South African communities. Launching Oxfam Great Britain'€™s (GB) "Cut the Cost" Campaign in Pretoria, International Director Stewart Wallis, said he hoped Government would "win the court case" against the pharmaceuticals. Anso Thom reports

The Rural Doctors Association of South Africa has urged government to act immediately to address the crisis in rural hospitals and to develop meaningful incentives to attract doctors to these areas. Among its concerns Rudasa lists the worrying statistic that only a quarter of community service doctors will work in rural hospitals this year and the continued difficulties experienced by foreign-qualified doctors to have their work permits renewed to serve in South African hospitals.