Health

Caring for low-birth weight infants in the Western Cape will be kangaroo style

Health

South Africa has six times the number of very low birth weight babies than developed countries but there are more low birth weight babies born in the Western Cape than in other provinces. The Western Cape department of health is introducing "kangaroo care" as the preferred method of treating low-birth weight babies after research at Tygerberg Hospital showed the method reduced infant mortality and saved the hospital R1-million a year. Jo Stein reports

Health-e News
October 24, 2000

Women smokers on the increase

Health

The growing number of women who smoke and have become addicted to nicotine was among the issues highlighted at the public hearings held by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last week as a precursor to this week's negotiations leading to a Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Health-e News
October 19, 2000

TAC defy drug patents

Health

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has challenged pharmaceutical giant Pfizer to take action against it for defying their patent on Fluconazole and importing the generic version from Thailand at a fraction of the cost of what it is being sold in South Africa. ANSO THOM reports.

Anso Thom
October 18, 2000

The gay community: a hidden HIV/AIDS epidemic?

Health

There are many men in South Africa who have sex with other men but don't consider themselves "gay". In the absence of funding for research, the extent of HIV infection among homsexual men in South Africa is largely unknown. But recent research conducted by the Triangle Project in Cape Town shows that risk-taking behaviour among gay men in the Mother City is alarmingly high. Jo Stein reports.

Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla
October 17, 2000

Nurse with HIV is positive about her work

Health

In early 1999, Sister Thulisiwe Luhabe sent in an anonymous blood sample of her own blood to the laboratory at the hospital where she worked because she suspected she might be HIV+. The test result confirmed her suspicions. Two years later, after successful treatment for TB, Sister Luhabe is more motivated than ever to share her knowledge of HIV with her patients.

Health-e News
October 17, 2000

Tobacco control – talks underway

Health

Negotiations for a world treaty on tobacco control begin here today (Monday) among members of the World Health Assembly under the auspices of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Health-e News
October 17, 2000

Smoking ‘ what the regulations say

Health

The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act, which comes into effect on October 1st, imposes tight controls on smoking in restaurants, pubs, shebeens, hotels and workplaces, as well as limiting tobacco advertising and the sale of tobacco products.

Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla
October 17, 2000

Tobacco talks slowly swing into action

Health

Intergovernmental negotiations that will lead to a Framework Convention on Tobacco Control governing the sale and marketing of tobacco are set to begin in earnest today (Tuesday).

Health-e News
October 17, 2000

Team approach to treating breast cancer at Groote Schuur

Health

Despite "longer than desired" waiting lists for surgery, Groote Schuur's Breast Clinic is able to offer hundreds of woman treatment for breast cancer. ANSO THOM reports.

Anso Thom
October 16, 2000

Overwhelming call for global tobacco control

Health

The overwhelming bulk of evidence presented on the second day of World Health Organisation's hearings into the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control called on the international health body to impose tough restrictions on the sale and marketing of tobacco.

Health-e News
October 16, 2000

Try this for size

Health

You don't like condoms? Try this for size: 45% of South African adults will be infected by HIV within the next ten years. Jo Stein reports.

Health-e News
October 16, 2000

Negative population growth due to AIDS now a possibility

Health

It is now thought that the South African population will in all likelihood stop growing as a result of HIV/AIDS. High numbers of AIDS deaths will play a role, but so will the impact of HIV/AIDS on fertility. These are some of the population research findings reported at The Joint Population Conference held in Port Elizabeth recently. Jo Stein reports.

Bibi-Aisha Wadvalla
October 13, 2000

Tobacco companies declare: smoking causes cancer

Health

Tobacco giants Philip Morris and British American Tobacco both stated explicitly yesterday that nicotine is addictive and that smoking causes a variety of diseases. SUE VALENTINE reports.

Health-e News
October 13, 2000

World grapples with tobacco control

Health

The first ever hearings by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to adopt a convention to control tobacco products worldwide began in Geneva yesterday (Thursday). SUE VALENTINE reports.

Health-e News
October 13, 2000

Low muscle tone and young children

Health

Three-year-old Alexander Heyns plays next to his mother at the physiotherapy centre, fitting shapes together into a box. "Look, mama, they are all in now," he says, blue eyes sparkling. "When he first came here, he would never do this," says his mother, Lynette. "He would come in shouting and charge around, touching everything. He found it difficult to focus."

Kerry Cullinan
October 12, 2000

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