Death of an innocent
Busisiwe Maqungo (28) had her suspicions that she was at risk of being HIV positive long before receiving confirmation via a test. In fact she was told her baby was HIV positive, before undergoing a test herself.
Health
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Appreciating every day
Brett Anderson never thought he had contracted HIV. "I was as sick as a dog but I never thought of HIV despite having all the symptoms. It never crossed my mind. It simply wasn't real to me. Now, it's in my blood. It's part of my life," says the 28-year-old Capetonian.
Drugs are the bottom-line
"Nobody says we shouldn't treat TB or cancer because we don't have the infrastructure or the ability to do so properly," said Dr Andy Grey from the Health System Trust in Durban. This was in response to Dr Mazuwa Banda from the World Health Organization, who argued at the AIDS 2000 conference that antiretroviral drugs should not be distributed in countries where "the basic requirements for [their] safe, effective use" are not in place.
Rape, murder charges for those who infect others with AIDS
Law experts are unlikely to recommend that government introduce HIV-specific laws to punish those who knowingly infect others.
HIV positive women speak out at AIDS conference
"I refuse to be identical to a statistic. I feel, I get sexy, I get hungry. Whatever you feel about your sexuality, I also feel," declared Brigitte Syamalevure, mother of 11 and an HIV positive Zambian.
Campaign for cheap drugs from Thailand
"Very high" medicine prices have prompted HIV/AIDS activist organisation to mount "legal action" against [drug company] Pfizer, to bring generic medicine into the country from Thailand to help treat HIV positive people.
Government should decide on Nevirapine by the end of the conference – Coovadia
DURBAN - The South African government should be in a position to make a decision about the provision of Nevirapine to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by this afternoon. (Friday)
Scientists re-affrim assertion that HIV causes AIDS
DURBAN - More than 5 000 scientists re-affirmed their assertion that HIV causes AIDS and endorsed the Durban Declaration at the AIDS 2000 conference yesterday. (Thursday).
Testing for HIV/AIDS – what’s the point?
DURBAN - If access to HIV treatment does not exist, should government's promote voluntary testing and counselling among its citizens? This was one of the issues debated at the AIDS 2000 conference this week.
Women dealt double blow at AIDS conference
The failure of a special vaginal gel to prevent sex workers from getting HIV means that condoms remain the world's only protection against the disease during sex .
Empower women to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS
Addressing delegates at the AIDS 2000 conference on the role of gender and sexuality in the transmission of HIV/AIDS , Dr Geeta Rao Gupta said that "Empowering women does not disempower men".
MRC receives R100-m boost
DURBAN - The Medical Research Council of South Africa has received more than R100 million over five years to establish two new research units for the study of HIV/AIDS prevention strategies and vaccines.
More work before Health Department considers Nevirapine
The South African Department of Health is "very pleased" with the results announced by researchers working on the Nevirapine Trials which showed a significant reduction in mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
Putting faces to the epidemic
The "Positive Lives" exhibition features photos of HIV positive people from around the world in images which challenge the fear and prejudice that surround HIV.
Cheap drug can save thousands of babies
Government was yesterday presented with evidence that it could save the lives of thousands of babies cheaply and effectively by giving their HIV positive mothers the drug Nevirapine during labour. The drug could cut the rate of HIV transmission from mother to child by about one third, meaning that only about 7% of babies born to HIV positive women would be infected at birth.