The widely welcomed agreement between pharmaceutical companies and the state’s competitions body — to issue multiple generic licences for anti-retrovirals (ARVs) — will increase supply and decrease prices of these life-saving drugs.

It is that time of year again, and the Mail & Guardian will as always rise to the occasion. Next week our bumper end-of-year edition will be out on Friday. Cutting-edge analysis, in-depth features, incisive wit and sophisticated charm pack its pages.

Households affected by HIV/Aids are more likely to spiral into debt and spend less money on food– which, in the long run, will contribute to malnutrition and chronic poverty. A recent study shows that people spend less on food when they have to support a family member with Aids.

Gone are the days when psychotherapy was just for the rich and privileged. From next year clinical psychologists will be providing free mental health care to disadvantaged communities as part of their compulsory community service.

At the Third Africa Women’s Peace Table seminar, held this week, more than 100 women from civil society and African defence forces discussed their participation in the formation of the AU’s planned African Standby Force, an army made up of soldiers from African countries, to be deployed to conflict areas.

The Department of Social Development has failed to produce guidelines to deal with the increasing numbers of orphaned children who need HIV- testing if they are to gain access to treatment once the government’s anti-retroviral roll-out begins.

Traditional healers have a crucial role to play in the implementation of a national anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment plan, especially in rural areas where there is a shortage of doctors. This was the major resolution reached at a forum hosted by the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO), which represents 25 000 members.

As the government works out how to provide anti-retrovirals (ARVs) to people infected with HIV/Aids, health professionals are putting forward a strong case for combining HIV programmes and those dealing with tuberculosis (TB). In South Africa more than half of all TB patients are also infected with HIV/Aids.

”I was not going to vote for this government if my child died of Aids.” This was the vow that Nombuyiselo Maphongwane mother made after witnessing her daughter suffering from full-blown Aids. Six weeks ago Maphongwane had her will ready. But, having taken anti-retroviral drugs for six weeks, she rediscovered her determination to beat the disease.