Doctors... do your patients understand your instructions?A United States study shows that a significant number of patients in a sample did not fully understand the instructions regarding their medication; it is vital they be absolutely clear on what they have to self-administer, when, and in what dosage.
South Africa: Albert Van Der Walt: "We weren't stupid, we were just heroin addicts"Albert Van Der Walt is a 21-year-old former heroin addict from Witbank, in Mpumalanga, a largely rural province in South Africa's northeast, with a growing drug problem. Now clean for nearly three years, Van Der Walt told IRIN/PlusNews how heroin quickly took over his life.
Development of hepatitis drug haltedMaxygen, Inc. has announced that Roche and Maxygen have agreed to terminate development of MAXY-alpha, also known as R7025, and to end the agreement under which Maxygen licensed MAXY-alpha to Roche. The news follows Maxygen's announcement of September 21, 2007, that Roche had voluntarily placed a hold on the program.
FPD news: Top health training institution celebrates ten years and more than 62 700 students -
Magda Naude
The Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) celebrated its tenth anniversary with its first formal graduation ceremony in Pretoria on November 28.
Testing for drugs of abuse in the workplace -
Health DiRexionsMany employers face the task of testing employees for drug abuse in the workplace. Often, drug testing is invasive and must be handled very carefully.
HPCSA news: Winners of national Excellence in Healthcare Awards announced -
Greer van Zyl
HPCSA recognises the outstanding achievements of four healthcare professionals.
Congo: Disease rife amid capital's rubbish chaosThe lack of municipal waste disposal services in the Republic of Congo's capital has led to a proliferation of rubbish mountains that pose a serious public health risk.
Uganda: Ebola outbreak kills 16
An outbreak of Ebola haemorrhagic fever in the western Uganda district of Bundibugyo has killed 16 of 51 people infected over the past three weeks, a senior health official said.
Simple measures such as hand washing better than drugs in dealing with flu virusesScientists say using physical barriers, such as regular hand washing and wearing masks, gloves and gowns, may be far more effective than drugs to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS.
Intelligent robots to help the disabledScientists from the University of Ulster and the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur have teamed up to investigate how to develop intelligent robotic devices to help people with severe disabilities achieve greater independence.
New device delivers radiation therapy to specific tumour sitesPhysicians at the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Centre have presented the initial outcomes of their use of a new device that delivers radiation therapy to a specific tumour site at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), November 25-30, 2007, in Chicago, Illinois.
Uganda: Sexual abuse survivors in north denied justice - AmnestyAmnesty International has accused Uganda's justice system of "tacitly condoning and protecting suspected perpetrators” of rape and other sexual abuses against women and girls in the north of the country.
Burkina Faso: Too many women dying in childbirthThe United Nations Population Fund has launched a campaign in Burkina Faso to drastically reduce maternal mortality by promoting assisted delivery and prenatal consultations.
Malawian government intensifies campaign against child labourA government plan to more than double the number of Malawi's child protection officers will not resolve the twin problems of child labour and trafficking, because the root causes lie in areas beyond the reach of monitoring and enforcing legislation, civil rights groups say.
HIV myths debunkedTen myths and one truth about generalised HIV epidemics,
The Lancet on World AIDS Day.
HIV in Thailand appears more deadlyTwo studies led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that people infected with HIV in Thailand die from the disease significantly sooner than those with HIV living in other parts of the world.
MSM are playing with fireA lack of HIV prevention efforts among men who have sex with men (MSM) is fuelling an increase in new diagnoses, JAMA commentary says.
Mauritius: Clean needles out of reach for injecting drug usersEvery weekday afternoon, two outreach workers go to a derelict apartment block that used to house men working on the docks at nearby Tombeau Bay, on the outskirts of Mauritian capital, Port Louis.
Mozambique: Condom mythologyIn the city of Nampula in northern Mozambique, Custodio (last name withheld), 25, who earns his living as a hawker, believes he can prove that condoms contain the HI virus: all you have to do is put one in a container with water and a few hours later "several little bugs" will appear.
Myanmar: HIV does not recognise traditionsZar Zar's husband was a womaniser. Throughout their five years of marriage he was a regular in the brothels around the city of Rangoon in Myanmar (Burma), drank heavily, was violent, and more than once gave her a sexually transmitted infection.
Mauritius: Dangerous paradise - sex, drugs and HIVIt is hard not to resort to clichés when writing about Mauritius: the white, sandy beaches, sunny blue skies and swaying palm trees. This Indian Ocean island paradise is the stuff travel brochures are made of. Stepping off a plane filled with eager tourists and a group of honeymooners proudly flashing "just married" t-shirts, it is easy to see how tourism has become the main source of income.
UNAIDS: World AIDS Day statement by UN Special Envoy on AIDS -
UNAIDSElizabeth Mataka, the UN Special Envoy on AIDS in Africa has this message for World AIDS Day 2007...
HIV testing an imperative - Call to arms for healthcare practitioners -
Martina Nicholson Associates (MNA)Friday, November 30, 2007 “The time has come for all healthcare practitioners throughout South Africa to join hands in the fight against HIV/Aids,” says Dr Caroline Maslo, head of Clinical Governance of Prime Cure Health HIVCare and an internationally published author and renowned expert in the management of HIV.
Join the CondomnationThis is AIDS Awareness week, and that means we all have to unite in spreading awareness of the pandemic, and play our part in fighting it, for our future and the future of our children. Join Bizcommunity.com and Cape Film Productions and become one of the
Condomnation.
Those of you who read www.bizcommunity.com will have seen my interpretation of the article in The Lancet on what actually drives the pandemic of HIV in Africa. And the unfortunate fact is what people have long since suspected - it is promiscuity - called concurrent partners in the article to take away some of the moralising feel to the word. But perhaps we should be suggesting to people that concurrent partners are wrong - moral censure is a strong driver of behaviour - and a strong driver of opposition to the censure itself. Rember Mr Mbeki's outrage at the idea that the pandemic in Africa was driven by multiple partners? Perhaps his lack of acceptance of this fact is one of the reasons that people are still bed-hopping with abandon - and taking their virus with them. Certainly when a friend of mine - high socio-economic class - suggested to her fiance that he should be faithful to her - she didn't get an outright promise of fidelity. If it continues to be culturally and socially acceptable to sleep around, HIV will continue to flourish - across all ages, genders and social classes. Those with money will survive - they can afford the drugs. The poor - as always - will be the ones to suffer. We need to listen to the prevention messages - everyone - not just certain groups in society. There are 1500 new HIV infections a day in South Africa, 1500 a day! This is catastrophic.