South African Press Association - November 20, 2008
HIV, Aids and TB remain national priorities requiring urgent action by all sectors of society The government today called on South Africans to participate in activities aimed at raising awareness about HIV and Aids. HIV, Aids and TB [tuberculosis] remain national priorities requiring urgent action by all sectors of soc
South African Press Association - October 20, 2008
Africa should put more effort and resources into the fight against HIV/Aids, Health Minister Barbara Hogan said on Monday. According to statistics released by the World Health Organisation (WHO), 22,5-million people infected by the HI virus are from sub-Saharan Africa. These statistics emphasise a need for us to invest
South African Press Association - October 13, 2008
South Africa s new health minister has appealed to scientists to intensify efforts to find an Aids vaccine amid widespread gloom over recent research setbacks. Health Minister Barbara Hogan said government policies over the past ten years had failed. Her speech on Monday marked a radical break in policy from her predec
South African Press Association - September 17, 2008
The Gauteng health department has launched an investigation into allegations that HIV-positive patients smoked an antiretroviral (ARV) drug at Hammanskraal Clinic, spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said on Wednesday. However, the department denied that any cases of HIV-positive patients smoking the life-prolonging drug, Stocr
South African Press Association - September 17, 2008
A South African treatment study has shown that mortality among tuberculosis (TB) and HIV co-infected patients can be reduced by 55%, if antiretroviral therapy (ART) is provided with TB treatment. University of KwaZulu-Natal Professor Salim Karim, who is also a director of the Centre for the Aids Programme Research in S
South African Press Association - September 14, 2008
Vitamin entreprenur Matthias Rath has dropped a million-pound libel claim against the Guardian over his activities in townships in South Africa . Rath sued over a series of articles by columnist Ben Goldacre that condemned Rath s claim that his pills were preferable to antiretroviral drugs, and that they could reverse
South African Press Association - September 11, 2008
HIV prevalence rates among pregnant women dropped 2,3% in Gauteng between 2004 and 2006, a provincial public-health profile report has found. One of the provincial government s successes was the expansion of HIV services to 59 000 people on antiretrovirals, said Gauteng health minister Brian Hlongwa. This target almost
South African Press Association - September 10, 2008
The Health Department is to convene an urgent expert meeting following controversy surrounding its 2007 antenatal survey, it announced on Wednesday. The department will urgently convene a meeting of experts and international organisations, such as UNAids, to deal with the controversy around its 2007 antenatal survey, w
South African Press Association - September 3, 2008
Denise Williams
HIV/Aids testing and treatment of the syndrome need more debate and a more sophisticated understanding, a seminar at the Institute of Security Studies (ISS) heard on Wednesday. There needs to be more research about why some people feel comfortable about being tested and going for treatment and why others don t, said Ma
The prevalence in HIV and both multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) is showing signs of decreasing, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said on Monday. The 2007 antenatal survey results of pregnant women using public health facilities found another 1% reduc
Pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram urgently recalled two batches of its antiretroviral products on Friday due to a packaging error. It asked that Adco-Nevirapine tablets, with the batch number 1J and expiry date January 2009, and Adco-Zidovudine tablets, batch number 1Z and expiry date November 2008, be returned wit
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has left for Mexico City to attend the United Nations XVII International Aids Conference scheduled for Sunday, the Presidency said on Saturday. Speaking from Mexico City, spokesperson Thabang Chiloane said Mlambo-Ngcuka is heading the South Africa delegation comprising the de
The income of the poorest South Africans has improved in real terms over the past 14 years, according to the government s 2008 development indicators released on Thursday. The publication provides evidence-based pointers on the impact of government programmes on the lives of South Africans and is published on an annual
South Africa topped a global sex report on sexual protection against sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV/Aids, condom maker Durex said on Thursday. Durex conducted a global sex report that saw 87% of South Africans feeling confident about protecting themselves against STIs and HIV/Aids. The study found
The government is considering increasing the value of social grants in order to soften the blow of high food prices, Health Director General Thami Mseleku said on Tuesday. He was briefing reporters at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on progress made by the government social cluster. What we are then saying is that gove
KwaZulu-Natal s health minister Peggy Nkonyeni was on Friday accused by the Treatment Action Campaign of orchestrating a witch-hunt against two rural doctors. The organisation has also accused her of breaching the National Health Act by publicising the private details of one of the doctors and said the department had
The Department of Health awarded a R3,615-billion tender to six suppliers over a period of two years to supply antiretrovirals (ARVs), the department said on Thursday. Spokesperson Sibani Mngadi said the tender was awarded to support the implementation of the comprehensive response to HIV/Aids in South
Mozambique s business sector is currently feeling the consequences of HIV/Aids through the increased absence of workers -- which has started to affect production, the president of the Confederation of Business Associations [CTA], Salimo Abdula, said on Friday. HIV/Aids is not a case for the future, it is starting to af
The Cape High Court ruling that vitamin entrepreneur Matthias Rath was acting illegally was a victory for the rule of law and for science in medicine, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said on Friday. In a ruling handed down on Friday morning, Judge Dumasini Zondi barred Rath from claiming his product, VitaCell, was
An HIV-positive man, who may have infected an 11-year-old girl he raped, was jailed for life by the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Thursday. Bhoyi Plaatjies (44) of Pietermaritzburg, was convicted in the local magistrate s court and was referred to the high court for sentencing. Plaatjies, who learnt about his HIV stat
It is impossible to have an HIV-free South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and a defence-force policy discriminating against people with HIV is unconstitutional, the Pretoria High Court heard on Thursday. The Aids Law Project, acting on behalf of the South African Security Forces Union (SASFU) and individual mem
It is estimated that 5,6-million South Africans are infected with HIV/Aids in 2008, said the Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) on Tuesday. In a statement, the society said its projections from the ASSA 2003 Aids and demographic model provided a projected estimate of HIV-positive South Africans in 2008. The HIV p
The Development Bank of SA (DBSA) s Aids statistics -- published on May 4 in the Sunday Independent -- had not yet been validated, the bank said on Tuesday. The DBSA would like to clarify that the statistics referred to were working data that have not yet been validated as per normal practice or put through stakeholder
The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Monday accused Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang of keeping Aids statistics low after an official report was released by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA). The minister of health must explain why official statistics are so low, said DA spokesperson and MP Sandy Kalyan.
No HIV infections through blood transfusions have been recorded since 2005, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) said on Thursday. Chief executive Loyiso Mpuntsha said the use of nucleic acid amplification technology (Nat) has successfully reduced to five days the window period during which infections canno
South Africa has made no progress in reducing its under-five child mortality rate, a report published on Wednesday showed. Countdown to 2015 MNCH: The 2008 Report was published by the partnership for maternal, new-born and child health (MNCH), an umbrella organisation comprising about 240 members - such as Unicef, th
Aids is having a politically costly effect on a number of fledgling democracies in Africa, according to a new Idasa study. There are a number of worrying revelations in this study, Kondwani Chirambo, editor of the study, said on Tuesday. The large number of younger voters who have died; the rising deaths among MPs and
The British government on Tuesday announced a donation of R225-million for the fight against Aids in Sub-Saharan Africa in the next four years. British High Commission spokesperson Russ Dixon said the funding was a continuation of the British government s association with Soul City initiatives. Soul City is a radio and
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Sunday called on men to take up their responsibility in the war against violence against women and children and the scourge of HIV/Aids. Mlambo-Ngcuka, speaking at the Fourth Treatment Action Campaign s national congress at the Birchwood Hotel, said: Good men must not be silen
The government and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) should bury the hatchet and unite in the fight against HIV/Aids, African National Congress (ANC) national executive committee member Zweli Mkhize said on Friday. I am aware that there was quite a lot of strain between the TAC and government and I said to some of th
Matthias Rath and his foundation had never claimed their vitamin products were a cure for HIV/Aids, Rath s advocate told the Cape High Court on Thursday. The court is hearing a bid by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and the South African Medical Association for a court order forcing the government to halt Rath s di
The Department of Health has shown a decided lack of enthusiasm for investigating the activities of vitamin entrepreneur Matthias Rath, the Cape High Court was told on Wednesday. The government has failed completely in its constitutional and statutory duties to protect the health of the public, said Geoff Budlender, ad
South African Press Association - February 21, 2008
The KwaZulu-Natal health department has dropped a misconduct charge against rural doctor Colin Pfaff, following a storm of protest, the doctor confirmed on Thursday. Pfaff faced the charge for administering dual therapy -- two antiretroviral drugs -- to prevent the infection of babies born to HIV-positive mothers.
South African Press Association - February 18, 2008
An anti-Aids gel that had reached the final phase of testing was unable to prevent the transmission of HIV, research NGO and non-profit organisation the Population Council said on Monday. It said the third phase of the clinical trials into the product found it ineffective in preventing male-to-female HIV transmission d
South African Press Association - February 14, 2008
The Department of Health on Thursday released a revised policy and guidelines clearing the way for dual therapy in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. At the same time, Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang dismissed claims that her department was reluctant to implement the new regime. I was the f
South African Press Association - February 14, 2008
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Thursday dismissed claims that her department was reluctant to implement dual therapy for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. I was the first person to express concern about mono therapy ... but we had to make sure that we had enough time to examine the imp
South African Press Association - February 13, 2008
The KwaZulu-Natal doctor who faces a disciplinary hearing for giving dual-therapy drugs to babies at risk of HIV infection should be hailed as a hero, a doctors organisation said on Wednesday. To discipline him for doing his ethical duty is disgraceful, the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society said in a statement.
South African Press Association - February 12, 2008
The North West department of health on Tuesday rejected suggestions that young people were trained to become sex workers using government money. The three complainants from Schweizer Reneke were invited to attend a workshop in Mmabatho to teach the youth about HIV, drug abuse and crime, spokesperson Nthabiseng Makhongo
South African Press Association - February 8, 2008
The rapid spread of HIV/Aids is posing a huge threat to Mozambique s future growth and the sustainability of its poverty-reduction programmes, according to a World Bank report. The report, published in January, noted that the high costs of procuring medicines and caring for those with the disease was plunging most fami
South African Press Association - February 7, 2008
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang on Thursday vowed to continue engaging traditional healers on health issues, saying they were important partners in the fight against HIV/Aids. Some people might be resisting traditional healers, but I believe we are on the right track, she said. Speaking during a meeting in Cap
South African Press Association - January 24, 2008
HIV/Aids prevalence in the private security industry is at 15,9% and in the legal services industry it is at 13,8%, a study compiled by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has shown. The study on the impact and responses to HIV/Aids in the private security and legal services industry in South Africa
South African Press Association - January 23, 2008
Clare Nullis
Activists and doctors on Wednesday accused the government of backsliding on promises to provide more effective treatment to prevent mothers passing on Aids to unborn children. The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) said that more than 60 000 babies are infected with HIV yearly in South Africa , most of them in the womb
South African Press Association - January 22, 2008
London - Botswana has announced two cases of extremely drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB), reports the London-based Aidsmap organisation. They are the first cases to be reported in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa . The patients have been quarantined at the Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone.
South African Press Association - January 22, 2008
Johannesburg, South Africa - Researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT) have developed two test HIV vaccines -- the first wholly South African-developed products to enter the human clinical-trials phase, the Herald Online reported on Tuesday. The vaccines are just months away from being assessed in human clinic
South African Press Association - January 17, 2008
Secondary school attendance can lead to a lower risk of HIV infection amongst young people in rural South Africa , according to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health on Thursday. The study, a collaboration between the Wits School of Public Health and the London School of Hygiene and Trop
At least 50% of medical drugs are out of stock in Zimbabwe s pharmacies because of critical shortages of foreign currency, making life harder for struggling Zimbabweans, it emerged on this week. The few available drugs have shot up in price, putting them well out of the reach of most white-collar workers, the state-con
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