Despite the fact that state hospitals cannot afford to care for those dying of AIDS, government'€™s failure to work with non-governmental organisations is undermining volunteer home-care projects in KwaZulu-Natal. Over the past six months, Sinosizo, a home-based care organisation started by the Catholic Church, has closed its operations in the entire Western Region '€“ including Hammarsdale, Shongweni, Inchanga and the inner west.

President Thabo Mbeki'€™s controversial AIDS review panel meets tomorrow (Mon 3 July) for a second and final time, but insiders describe the body as having been a waste of time and money.Government has said that the panel -- which brought together 33 international experts including "dissidents" who do not believe that HIV causes AIDS '€“ will cost it R2-million of taxpayers'€™ money.

While government make final preparations to host the final meeting of President Thabo Mbeki'€™s international AIDS panel, tasked with discussing the link between HIV and AIDS and anti-HIV therapies, UNAIDS has revealed that South Africa has the largest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (4,2-million).

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has denied allegations by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) that the U$100-million HIV/Aids grant made by the pharmaceutical giant last year to five southern African countries, including South Africa, was an attempt to "silence the voice of affordable medicine".

South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) scientists and co-workers will present some 25 papers at the World AIDS Conference to be held in Durban in July with a model-type vaccine developed by 2005, according to Dr Walter Prozesky, head of the initiative.

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.