Health

SAA’s HIV policy in contravention of the Employment Equity Act

Health

South African Airways "is not too sure" whether it is presently carrying out pre-employment HIV testing on prospective cabin attendants.According to a stipulation in the Employment Equity Act all employers need to get authorisation from the Labour Court to carry out pre-employment HIV testing.

Anso Thom
June 2, 2000

Seeking solutions for SA rather than debating link between HIV and AIDS

Health

South Africans should move beyond the counterproductive debate about the cause of AIDS to an engagement with President Thabo Mbeki's main thrust of argument ' seeking solutions that are appropriate to our circumstances in Africa, according to Professor Daniel Ncayiyana, editor of the SA Medical Journal (SAMJ).

Anso Thom
May 26, 2000

HIV infection rates could be an underestimate

Health

A new study in the latest American Journal of Epidemiology has confirmed what experts have long suspected - that HIV infection rates based on the national antenatal surveys could well be an underestimate.

Ali Karriem
May 19, 2000

‘Cut-price’ anti-AIDS drugs may still cost more than generics

Health

The fresh offer from five major pharmaceutical companies to reduce the price of anti-AIDS drugs still does not answer the vexed question of what is their best possible discounted price.

Ali Karriem
May 18, 2000

Attack on drug companies at hearings into AIDS

Health

What was supposed to be hearings by parliament's health portfolio committee into finding solutions to South Africa's high number of HIV infections, turned into an attack on the pharmaceutical industry this week. But with good reason

ansothom
May 12, 2000

Cautious response to drug offer

Health

An announcement by the five pharmaceutical giants that they are prepared to reduce the price of key drugs used to treat people living with HIV/AIDS, has been met with scepticism.

Anso Thom
May 12, 2000

How is the South African government dealing with the AIDS epidemic?

Health

Tragically, South Africa has failed to manage and control the spread of HIV. Although a comprehensive national plan to fight the epidemic was formulated by a range of organisations before 1994, this has not been put into practice effectively.

Anso Thom
May 9, 2000

Patience with the worker’s compensation commission has run out.

Health

The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) in Pretoria has taken the workers' compensation commissioner to court twice in the last year - and won. The commissioner was found guilty of unreasonable delay and received a penalty in the form of interest payments. The LRC is now considering taking the commissioner to court again, this time concerning delays in the objection process whereby rejected claims can be disputed.

Ali Karriem
May 3, 2000

Fighting each other – but not AIDS

Health

Sarafina, Virodene, unspent millions - in a country with one of the fastest growing AIDS epidemics in the world, it's sobering to say the least that these are the predominant associations one makes with the fight against AIDS in South Africa. The AIDS Review 2000, released by the Centre for the Study of AIDS at the University of Pretoria and written by Hein Marais, offers a fascinating overview of the South African response to HIV/AIDS since 1994.

Ali Karriem
April 20, 2000

4,2-million South Africans living with HIV/AIDS

Health

Although the HIV prevalence is high, the rate of increase in South Africa is beginning to stabilise, Health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang revealed this week at the release of the tenth annual ante-natal HIV survey.

Anso Thom
April 19, 2000

Who should speak for people living with HIV/AIDS?

Health

Until recently, the National Association for People Living with AIDS (NAPWA) has had a policy of hiring only HIV positive employees. However, NAPWA has been re-thinking this policy on the grounds that each and every South African is affected by the disease. Some also feel that the continuing distinction between HIV-positive and HIV-negative people runs the risk of feeding into the very prejudice and stigma which organisations such as NAPWA hope to overcome.

Ali Karriem
April 14, 2000

Nevirapine still a treatment option for mother to child transmission

Health

Anti-AIDS drug Nevirapine remains an option for the treatment of mother to child transmission despite the deaths of five women during the course of a local trial involving the drug, according to Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

Anso Thom
April 7, 2000

AIDS panel to complete work by June, says minister

Health

"The South African government is not stupid... We will not say tomorrow that HIV does not cause AIDS," says the health minister, who says that the international panel on HIV/AIDS that she is putting together will help to find an African approach to the epidemic.

kerrycullinan
April 7, 2000

The ABC of AIDS

Health

A small minority of researchers seem to have succeeded in South Africa where they have failed elsewhere. They have gained the ear of the media and the public in calling to question whether HIV does cause AIDS. Worldwide, the vast majority of reputable scientsists are clear about the transmission and effect of the HI virus on the human body. ANSO THOM goes back to the basics. See also: How safe is sex?

Anso Thom
March 31, 2000

How safe is sex?

Health

Every day South Africans are being bombarded with safer sex or HIV/AIDS messages. Many, generally from unreliable sources, are simply urban legends while others should be taken seriously.But how do we know whether we are having safe sex?

ansothom
March 30, 2000

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