Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 44 667 937 as of 1.24pm December 19 2001
In court again: The Treatment Action Campaign won its legal challenge to force the Department of Health to make nevirapine available to all HIV-positive pregnant women attending public antenatal facilities. The government will appeal to the Constitutional Court to reverse the judgement.
Golden agreement: Mining giant Goldfields has reached an agreement with unions to test and treat its 50 000 workers for HIV. Goldfields estimates that HIV costs the company about “four to five dollars for every ounce of gold we produce”. The programme has the blessing of the National Union of Mineworkers. It will only provide antiretroviral drugs to rape survivors and pregnant women. Anglo Gold is looking into giving such drugs to the estimated fifth of its 160 000 employees with HIV.
Virgin pride: About 2 000 women between the age of 12 and 25 have passed virginity tests in eastern Zimbabwe, and touching one of them above her wrist will be regarded as rape. Almost one in four adult Zimbabweans has the virus.
Rising resistance: More than half of the 210 000 Americans infected with HIV are carrying a strain resistant to at least one antiretroviral drug.
Estimated worldwide HIV infections: Thursday December 13 12.15pm 44 581 069
Holding fast: Western Cape Premier Peter Marais confirmed that the province under its new government will continue to provide anti-retroviral drugs, including nevirapine, to HIV-positive pregnant women and rape survivors.
Gold Fields acts: Gold Fields Limited signed an Aids pact with the National Union of Mineworkers, United Associations of South Africa and the Mineworkers Union Solidarity to help prevent the spread of Aids among employees and to initiate treatment programmes for those who are HIV-positive. The agreement included provisions for a partnership approach to the principles for management of Aids within the company, improved awareness using formal education, the promotion of condom usage, HIV testing and counselling for all employees.
Educating sex workers: Providing HIV awareness counselling to prostitutes is more cost-effective in saving lives in Africa than treating Aids sufferers with anti-retroviral drugs, researchers from the University of California said this week. Advising urban sex workers on risky practices and giving them condoms costs $1,32 per year per life saved. Generic anti-retrovirals will cost just over double that figure.
Estimated worldwide HIV infections: Thursday December 6 2:01pm: 44 481 282
Test trial: The Medical Research Council said South Africa’s first HIV/Aids vaccine trials may start as early as February next year involving 96 volunteers from KwaZulu-Natal, Soweto and the United States. If the first phase proves successful, the final phase of testing could begin in 2007. The vaccine trials are the first in South Africa, with about 30 trials currently in progress worldwide.
Death transmissions: Proposed legislation to provide for the death sentence for men who rape knowing they are infected with Aids has been published in Maseru following recommendations by the Lesotho Law Reform Commission. The death sentence is to be provided for because an Aids- infected rapist knew that his victim would be infected and ultimately die.
Donating: The Road Freight Association this week pledged R3-million towards the fight against Aids. According to the association, money would be used to implement Aids policies and programmes in the long-distance trucking industry. According to officials, the industry had been identified by the Department of Health as a “high transmission area”.
Aids helpline number: 0800 012 322