The XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, sounds a call to further action in the global fight against HIV and AIDS.

As the national comprehensive programme to treat people ill with AIDS conditions unfolds, one of the challenges facing government, civil society organisations and individuals in the fight against AIDS is not a new one. It'€™s to seek to improve programmes aimed at ensuring that those who are uninfected remain free of HIV. Health-e News Service looks at why new methods are needed to help enhance the Department of Health'€™s ABC HIV prevention message.

The Health Department has recently launched a new stylish brand of condoms called '€˜Choice'€™ in the hope that it will encourage greater condom usage. But as Health-e reports, for women the branding of condoms means very little. What'€™s most important is their ability to negotiate when and how they would like to have sex. The names of the women interviewed in this report are not their real names.

A new brand of government condoms called '€˜Choice'€™, has entered the market to replace the old condom with its plain packaging and AIDS ribbons stamped on the wrapping. The re-launch was necessary after the old government unbranded condoms failed to strike the right chord with the public. As Health-e discovered, there'€™s much more to condom usage than merely providing protection.

AIDS activists have accused US President George Bush of hampering HIV prevention campaigns.

Tlalehong e sa tswa feta ya Living with AIDS, re utlwile ka maikutlo a Nonhlanhla Kubheka ha a bua ka leeto leo Afrika Borwa e le tsamaileng ho tla fihla mothating ona moo batho ba nang le tshwaetso ya Phamokathe ba fumantshwang meriana e kokobetsang matal a kokwana hloko ya HIV. Bekeng ena re utlwa ka moo Nonhlanhla yena a seng a qadile ho kula ka tshwaetso ena.

In the last Living with AIDS feature, we heard Nonhlanhla Kubheka'€™s views on South Africa'€™s turbulent journey to the era of AIDS treatment. This week, she tells just how her health has started failing her.

This time last year, Nonhlanhla Kubheka, a 40-something year-old single mother of two, was among those urging government to provide treatment for those people living with HIV/AIDS. Health-e News Service spoke with Nonhlanhla Kubheka and looks at how far we'€™ve come.

Ngwahola ka yona nako ena, Nonhlanhla Kubheka, a dilemo tse ka nnqane ho 40 a bile e le mme wa bana ba ba babedi, e ne e le wa ba bang ba etsang ditletlebo ho mmuso hore o fumantshe batho ba kulang ka Phamokathe meriana e mona e fokotsang matla a tshwaetso ya kokwana hloko ya HIV. Mona re buisana le yena ho fumana maikutlio a hae ka leeto leo Afrika Borwa e e tsamaileng ho tla fihla mothating ona moo meriana ena e seng e fumaneha.

Tuesday last week was International Children'€™s Day. It was also the day on which we heard the news that government had instructed all provinces that had begun implementing an HIV/AIDS Care and Treatment Plan to stop enrolling any more children for treatment. Health-e News Service takes a look at the supply of antiretroviral drugs in the public health sector.

Support from friends and family can make all the difference to people living with HIV/AIDS. Lulu Sibam, who together with her husband and child is now on ARV therapy, speaks warmly of the encouraging role played by her family and parents-in-law.

Lulu Sibam is a young mother from Khayelitsha. Her husband and child Mihle have been on antiretroviral therapy since December 2001. Lulu first started treatment in 2003 but dropped out of the Medecins Sans Frontieres programme. She has since re-started her therapy and together with her family is doing well.