Pledge for Prudence
Mark Heywood paid tribute to AIDS, human rights and gender activist Prudence Mabele who recently passed away.
New HIV policy for schools does not go far enough
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has launched its new National Policy on HIV, STIs and TB. Is it good enough? And how can it be improved?
Modernising ART
By Dr Michelle Moorhouse – Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa seems set for a revolution with a new drug combination that is highly effective and involves only one pill a day that is smaller than an aspirin. One of South Africa’s top HIV clinicians explains.
A vision without a plan: In-depth analysis of SA’s new HIV and TB plan
South Africa’s HIV and TB plan for the next five years has been riddled with controversy. Here’s our assessment of the plan.
Health budget fails to address HR crisis
By Russell Rensburg, Rural Health Advocacy Project In the tabling of the national department of health’s budget for 2017/2018, minister of health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, delivered an impassioned address about…
Full NSP finally published
After substantial delays the final version of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV, Tuberculosis and STIs 2017 – 2022 was finally published on the website of the South…
TAC survey highlights poor infection control in clinics
By Marcus Low Tuberculosis (TB) infection control measures in some South African public sector clinics fall woefully short. This is according to an infection control survey that was published by…
No Need to Embellish our Achievements or to Diminish our Challenges when it comes to HIV
By Fareed Abdullah When I joined government in 1994 there was not only an openness to dissenting opinions; it was encouraged. When we met, month after month, as the Health…
Round-up of responses to SA’s new AIDS/TB plan
On Friday 31 March 2017 South Africa’s National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV, TB an STIs 2017 – 2022 was launched in Mangaung, Free State. However, as of noon on Monday 3 April the final plan has not yet been made public.
The madness and evil of Manto and Thabo meets the madness and evil of Bathabile and Jacob
By Anso Thom
Having reported with many journalist colleagues on the darkest days on former President Thabo Mbeki and his health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang’s distressing, fatal and quite mad HIV-denialism, the latest saga around social grants did bring back a sense of déjà vu.
Measuring up to the task of tackling HIV and TB in the new NSP
As the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) nears completion of the next National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV, TB, and STIs (2017-2022), lofty ambitions for positive outcomes are in place. However, what provinces and districts are expected to measure in order to track implementation and incremental steps toward these goals is—at this point—completely absent from the NSP.
The Achilles Heel of the new NSP: Accountability and Equity
As we move towards the release of South Africa’s latest National Strategic Plan for HIV/AIDS, TB and STI’s it is important to celebrate the successes achieved since the end of AIDS denialism and the introduction of a revitalised AIDS response in 2006.