China, Malawi sign health pact
[Gregory Gondwe] Malawi and Chinese governments signed a health pact in Lilongwe earlier this week, that will see the two countries exchanging medical personnel.

Agency to take over medicines control proposed
[Shaun Benton] A new agency with the powers to regulate all medicines and health products in South Africa, including health foods and cosmetics with medicinal claims, has been proposed by the Department of Health.

Demonstrate your support for the cancer cause - CANSA
All South Africans need to live healthy lifestyles in healthy environments to help prevent cancer. This is the message from the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), which is running a number of activities for Cancer Prevention Week from 1-7 August.

Obesity not a contraindication to knee replacement
Clinically obese people can benefit almost as much as anyone else from knee replacement surgery.

VW of SA's on-site Doctor invited to serve on World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on HIV/Aids - Volkswagen of South Africa
Volkswagen of South Africa's on-site Doctor, Alex Govender, has been invited to serve on the Global Agenda Council on HIV/Aids of the World Economic Forum*.

sanofi-aventis hosts “Standing Together Against Diabetes” roadshow in South Africa - Jenni Newman Public Relations
Some of South Africa's leading diabetes experts have taken to the road to highlight the new clinical practice recommendations as put forward by the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Pfizer to showcase Alzheimer's research - Magna Carta
Pfizer, Inc announced that it will present nine abstracts from its Alzheimer's disease (AD) research and development program, including three on the two promising investigational therapies in the early stages of development, at the 2008 Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Chicago, July 26-31.

Scientists race to stay ahead of olympic doping
Significant advances have been made in the fight against drugs in sport in the last 40 years.

HIV programmes reduce deaths and new infections, UNAIDS report shows
Substantial increases in global efforts to prevent and treat HIV are achieving measurable effects in terms of reductions in deaths and new infections, says a report from UNAIDS.

Anti-TB treatment lessens effect of some HIV treatments
New research, published on August 6 in a special HIV/AIDS issue of JAMA, finds that virological failure is more likely to occur if patients receiving rifampicin-based anti-tuberculosis therapy also receive nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy than rather than efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy.

Uganda: Marriage, the new frontier in HIV prevention
In Uganda you have a higher risk of contracting HIV if you are married and over 30 than if you are single and in your twenties, according to the UNAIDS 2008 global epidemic report.

South Africa-Zimbabwe: Sex for soap, salt and sugar
The border between South Africa and Zimbabwe is more than an international boundary; it also determines the method of payment for sex workers, because on one side cash is taken, while on the other, goods are bartered.

Couples testing campaign - Right to Care
South Africa's leading HIV & AIDS research unit for adults has launched a landmark campaign to encourage couples to undergo HIV testing and share the outcomes together.

Cancer Survivors' Day celebrates "Living Creatively" - Medi-Clinic
Cancer Survivors' Day has become an event that brings people living with cancer together to celebrate survivorship in an affirmation that life after a cancer diagnosis can be lived fully, with purpose and enthusiasm. Anyone who feels they are a survivor is most welcome to attend, whether they have been recently diagnosed or not - survivorship is a state of mind, not a length of time!

Meet Wally - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
Less than two weeks after his 52nd birthday, a Gauteng businessman will give South African television viewers a rather unconventional gift of his own: the opportunity to learn some very important lessons from his own difficult journey of cardiovascular disease.

South Africa to view live televised open heart surgery - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA
In a move it hopes will motivate South Africans into taking preventative action, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of South Africa has announced it will make history by televising a live broadcast of a two-hour single bypass open heart surgery on national television on Saturday, 2 August 2008.

National Immunisation Awareness Week - Magna Carta
Immunisations are supremely important in an over-populated and in some parts poverty-stricken country such as South Africa.

National Immunisation Awareness Week - adult immunisation - Magna Carta
Wednesday, 6th August marks the start of National Immunisation Week in South Africa.

7000 Malawians die of Malaria in 2007
[Gregory Gondwe] Malawi's Health Minister, Khumbo Kachali yesterday disclosed that out of four million malaria cases Malawian hospitals dealt with in 2007, 7000 people lost their lives.

Gene for obesity stops you from feeling full
A study involving more than 3000 children in Britain has found those with a gene linked to obesity find it harder than others to tell when they are full.

Sildenafil improves antidepressant-related sexual dysfunction in women - Magna Carta
Women with sexual dysfunction caused by the use of antidepressants experienced a reduction in adverse sexual effects with use of sildenafil, commonly known as the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra, according to a study in the July 23/30 issue of JAMA.

Migraine Awareness Week gets underway from 3 Sept - Idea Engineers
Migraine Awareness Week, 3-9 September 2008, aims to educate the South African public about the prevalence and symptoms of migraine headaches as well as the treatment options available to people who suffer from this debilitating condition.

Many cancer patients found to be using complementary and alternative methods
A new study from researchers at the American Cancer Society finds many cancer patients use complementary and alternative methods, most often prayer, relaxation, supplements, meditation, and massage. Meanwhile, the use of other methods, such as biofeedback, homeopathy, and acupressure, are relatively uncommon.

Online advertising shows significant impact on brand awareness
Though focused on the pharmaceutical industry, the study may have broader reaching appeal to e-marketers in other industries.

Overweight women need more exercise to maintain weight loss
Regular exercise needed to maintain a 10% weight loss in overweight women.

Dementia prevalence underestimated in developing countries
Dementia more common in developing countries than previously thought.

High hopes for female condom
Malawian women have little say when it comes to condom use, but the government hopes that the recent launch of the female condom in the country could go some way in solving this age-old dilemma.