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The good doctor: Mark Blaylock on finding meaning back at Manguzi

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Provinces

In December 2008, Dr Mark Blaylock left South Africa after a high-profile spat with then-Health MEC of KwaZulu-Natal Peggy Nkonyeni. The affair was sparked by Blaylock’s colleague Colin Pfaff being charged with misconduct for sourcing funding for antiretroviral drugs for pregnant women living with HIV. Four years later, Blaylock was back at Manguzi District Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. Sue Segar chatted to Blaylock about his years outside of South Africa, returning to Manguzi, and how healthcare in KwaZulu-Natal has changed over the years.

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Almost 40 years with HIV – from ‘dead man walking’ to HIV awareness champion

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

On December 12, Ntimbwe Munongo Mpamba will celebrate his fortieth birthday with chocolate cake in Northgate, Johannesburg. He was born with HIV but only became aware of his HIV status many years later. Biénne Huisman spoke to him about living with HIV, his early years when his mother fed him medicine disguised as sweets, and now, living openly as an HIV awareness champion.

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From the frontlines: 20 years of fighting HIV in Khayelitsha

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Two decades since Doctors without Borders (MSF) started its HIV programme in Khayelitsha, the organisation will start wrapping up its operations. Siyabonga Kamnqa spoke to some people living with HIV who benefitted from this programme and who now work as activists about developments over the last 20 years.

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New medicines should make life easier for kids living with HIV

Posted in: Child health, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

HIV medicines for children often taste bitter, pills are large, and for many children there is a lot of medication to take. This makes it hard to take treatment as prescribed. Tiyese Jeranji looks at the challenges with currently available HIV medicines for children, what innovations are in the pipeline, and how HIV treatment is being tailored to suit the needs of children.

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U=U: We should put people living with HIV at the centre of HIV prevention efforts

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 9: State of HIV, Latest, Reproductive Health

The U=U campaign is based on a simple message – an undetectable viral load in people living with HIV equals an untransmissible virus. The U=U campaign, argues Mandisa Dukashe, has the power to motivate people living with HIV to adhere to ARVs, achieve viral suppression, and subsequently lead long and healthy lives while preventing HIV transmission to sexual partners and their babies.

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SA’s children surviving but not thriving, conference hears

Posted in: Child health, Latest

Health practitioners, caregivers and academics recently attended the 10th Child Health Priorities Conference at the University of North West (NWU) under the theme – “survive, thrive and transform – championing change for children”. Some experts argued that South Africa’s children is surviving, but not thriving. Madala Thepa reports.

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How HIV shaped us

Posted in: Latest, Science, Sections, Spotlight, Spotlight Edition 1

By Professor Glenda Gray & Professor James A. McIntyre – HIV changed the nature of health in South Africa as our new democracy emerged. Seemingly overnight, in front of our eyes, young people and children died in unprecedented numbers. HIV slashed life expectancy, wiped out a generation of economically active adults in their prime across sub-Saharan Africa, reversed gains in under-five mortality and created a cohort of AIDS orphans.

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