With maternal health being one of the priority areas for health improvement, it's important for primary health care facilities to improve care for pregnant mothers. The Witkoppen Health and Welfare Centre in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, says it's trying to improve on these health indicators.
Read More » Doing their best for pregnant womenThe Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) has vowed to mobilise more communities to fight for quality health should the Gauteng Health Department not deliver on their demands. This week, the TAC marched to the office of Gauteng Health MEC demanding the restoration of health services.
Read More » TAC still fights for medicinesThe recent shortage of a crucial antiretroviral drug, Tenofovir, is but just a symptom of an underlying general problem of health management in South Africa. Part of this is the lack of oversight on drug supplies and availability by the national Health Department.
Read More » Lessons learned from Tenofovir shortageNo single infection has probably inspired as many conspiracy theories as AIDS has over the last 30 years. The science of AIDS has endured tremendous attacks from as early as when the virus first appeared. A book entitled 'The AIDS Conspiracy ' Science Fights Back', looks at how science has triumphed and sought to bring sense to a condition that has attracted a flurry of mad conspiracy theories.
Read More » AIDS conspiracies – Science fights back Living with AIDS # 520The lack of proper sanitation, poor access to health services, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS are all contributing factors to early childhood deaths. Maternal deaths are also increasing, mainly due to HIV infection. This is according to studies done by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
Read More » The causes of maternal and child deathsThe inability of contracted pharmaceutical companies to produce enough of the antiretroviral drug, Tenofovir, has forced the Health Department to increase the number of manufacturers that can produce the medicine in the face of worrying shortages.
Read More » Addressing Tenofovir shortages Living with AIDS # 519Insufficient production of Tenofovir, a crucial antiretroviral drug that is part of the three-drug combination therapy that AIDS patients need to suppress their virus, has left patients in the public sector taking sub-optimal treatment.
Read More » Tenofovir shortages endanger lives Living with AIDS # 518A Grade Seven learner and her mother have laid a complaint with the Gauteng Department of Education after claims of discrimination of the learner by fellow learners and teachers at a Pretoria school. They are accusing them of discrimination because the girl's mother is living openly with HIV.
Read More » Learner approaches DOE for help on HIV discrimination allegationsThe national Health Department is upbeat that the country is making significant progress in dealing with the AIDS epidemic. It says it has reached over 80% of South Africans eligible for antiretroviral treatment in the last five years. But it admits that preventing new HIV infections has been a challenge.
Read More » DoH happy with AIDS progress Living with AIDS # 517As many young women are now developing cervical cancer and more are at risk of cancer of the cervix because of HIV infection, new and simpler methods of diagnosis are needed. Now, scientists have discovered that vinegar is useful in diagnosing cervical cancer.
Read More » Vinegar test can help identify cervical cancerHaving survived cervical cancer Emily Monchojana now spends her time educating women in her community about the importance of looking after the health of their cervix to help protect them from the cancer. Ayanda Mkhwanazi of Health-e News Service, caught up with her during one of these educational sessions.
Read More » I’m now a conqueror’New and bold efforts are needed to reduce the number of new HIV infections amongst young girls and women. This is one of the key focus areas of the new National Strategic Plan on HIV and AIDS, which came into effect last month.
Read More » Protecting young women Living with AIDS # 515INTRO: It is predicted that the effects of climate change will cause serious health impacts on society. According to researchers, everyone needs to take responsibility to change their behaviour so that the impacts of climate change can be lessened.
Read More » All need to play part in climate changeMalaria symptoms are often mistaken for the common flu and many people leave them unchecked. This often leads to severe illness and death, especially in people who have HIV.
Read More » Malaria & HIV Living with AIDS # 514The city of Jo'burg says climate change is no longer a possibility, but a reality. It has urged communities to partner with it to protect the environment and to alleviate the impacts of climate change
Read More » City of Jo’burg aims for safer environment