Why Clinical Associates matter
ClinAs (Clinical Associates) are an important new mid-level category of healthcare providers in the new healthcare model. They are trained to assess patients, make diagnoses, prescribe treatment and perform minor…
On the research front
Transmission risk In March 2014, researchers reported at the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) that no HIV-positive study participants with undetectable viral load counts had transmitted HIV…
Lungisa Isebe Lezempilo Sizophila!
In March members of the Stop Stockouts project and SECTION27 travelled to the Eastern Cape in order to conduct human rights awareness workshops focussed on the right to health. We…
Longer lives – for some
Life expectancy in South Africa is increasing rapidly. Deaths from HIV and TB are declining because of the antiretroviral treatment programme and improved TB treatment outcomes. This is the essence…
Analysing information on the NSP indicators
The National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs and TB (NSP) sets a number of targets for South Africa to reach by 2016. In this table we track our collective progress…
The silver bullet of indicators?
Every few months we are confronted with new AIDS statistics in newspaper headlines. Some of these tell an important story, others less so. Yet, there is one statistic that could…
The right to access to treatment: The Stop Stock Outs Project
The National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and TB (2012-2016) addresses the drivers of HIV and TB epidemics, and builds on the achievements of the previous…
Empty promises in the Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape Health Crisis Action Coalition is a group of organisations and individuals working toward a common goal: The fulfillment of the right to health in a province in…
The answer is patently obvious
The question of how the government intends to finance our National Health Insurance (NHI) is a critical piece of the health puzzle that remains unanswered. As the pilot projects have…
As good as it gets
[caption id="attachment_2762" align="alignnone" width="570"] The clinic waiting room in Embalenhle is the dusty courtyard outside the buildings – rain or shine, this is where patients wait their turn to be…
A magazine that’s a friend in need
She’s like the girlfriend who can answer all your crazy sex questions. She speaks her mind on issues, and she even has great tips on how to rock the season’s…
The drug default dilemma
Next to Bheki Nzuza’s desk is a large cardboard box filled with medicines – discarded antiretroviral (ARV) medicines. Nzuzu, is the operations manager at Piet Retief Hospital and on a…