2013-05-21 05:41:25am

Health-e sends out weekly
news alerts which include new articles and other interesting and topical additions to the resources pages.

Health Categories / HIV - Antiretrovirals (ARVs)
Simpler ARV treatment begins in Eastern Cape
10.05.2013 Mtshana Mvlisi

textEight people have been initiated into the new Fixed Dose Combination of ARV treatment at the Magwa Clinic. The new treatment uses one pill, which combines emtricitabine, TDF and efavirenz.
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New pills bring new hope
29.04.2013 Tandeka Hlongwane

textLUSIKISIKI. - All twelve clinics in the Qaukeni sub-district in the Eastern Cape are dispensing the new fixed dose combination pill (FDC) to HIV patients. This new pill is a triple antiretroviral that is believed to improve adherence as it only needs to be taken once a day. The fact that ARV treatment now consist of just one tablet will make it easier to dispense and prescribe, and make ordering and monitoring stock supply easier for clinics and depots.
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Patients fear for their health after ARV shortage
19.04.2013 Mathilda Smous

textBLOEMFONTEIN – While the rest of the country is celebrating the roll-out of a new HIV treatment, the Gabriel Dichabe Clinic has run out of antiretroviral tablets.
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India court ruling significant for SA
02.04.2013 Anso Thom

textA landmark decision by the Indian Supreme Court to uphold India's Patents Act in the face of the seven-year challenge by pharmaceutical company Novartis has been hailed across the world as a major victory for access to affordable medicines in developing countries.
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Babies can be born free of mom’s HIV
09.01.2013 Tandeka Hlongwane

textOR Tambo. – Many challenges prevent pregnant women from accessing Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) services despite a strong HIV management programme in the area.
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MSF step in to handle ARV crisis in Eastern Cape
10.12.2012 Anso Thom

textMore than 50 000 HIV positive patients in the Eastern Cape as at risk of antiretroviral (ARV) treatment interruption due to ongoing drug supply shortages.
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From zero to hero
02.12.2012 Kerry Cullinan

textThe country has made substantial progress in the fight against HIV, but there are still many holes in the system - particularly around TB treatment.
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Still many pitfalls, but impressive progress
01.12.2012 Kerry Cullinan

textSandile died a few weeks ago. Although he was on antiretroviral medication for HIV, he had started treatment late and his body could not rally the energy to fight the tuberculosis that preyed on his weak immune system.
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Clubbing together for treatment
30.11.2012 Anso Thom

textAntiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence clubs, already operating in several high burden areas in Cape Town, have the potential to revolutionise the treatment of millions of HIV-positive South Africans and lighten the load on overburdened health workers.
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Finally, SA announces single pill for HIV
29.11.2012 Anso Thom

textGovernment took a major step towards improving HIV treatment compliance and cost with the announcement that the new antiretroviral (ARV) tender will include a triple fixed dose combination (FDC) tablet, which combines three pills into one.
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Crisis at Mthatha Medical Depot continues
28.11.2012

textA number of organisations have expressed deep concern over the crisis in the Eastern Cape where patients are running out of lifesaving medication.
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HIVSA reaches two million people via cellphone messaging this WORLD AIDS DAY
28.11.2012

textPRESS RELEASE: HIVSA in partnership with the Provincial Department of Health, Gauteng, will be sending out two million health related mobile phone messages to the general public, in support of this year’s WAD initiative.
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HIV: More important to get patients on sustainable, affordable drugs
26.11.2012 Anso Thom

textCAPE TOWN - After 30 years of HIV disease it is more important to deal with the costs of the medicines and how to sustain access to it, rather than treatment outcomes, according to an HIV specialist.
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Access to treatment worries HIV patient
26.11.2012 Mtshana Mvlisi

textLusikisiki - Twenty-two year old Olwethu Mhlanti from Mevana Administration Area in Lusikisiki was recently diagnosed with HIV. He is unsure about his future and has little faith in the Department of Health to ensure that he gets the medicine he needs.
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Qaukeni district clinics and hospitals in distress
15.11.2012 Tandeka Hlongwane

textLusikisiki- Twelve clinics and two hospitals that fall under the Qaukeni local district are continuing to experience critical drug shortages and stock outs.
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Phase out D4T in poor countries
07.11.2012

textIn 2010 the World Health Organisation (WHO) changed the HIV treatment guidelines for poor countries and recommended switching from stavudine (D4T) to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) for all patients on first line treatment. OPINION by Vuyiseka Dubula (Quackdown)
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Surviving on an empty stomach
30.10.2012 Tandeka Hlongwane

textOurHealth - Nombulelo Manala Lubhelu (45) of Lusikisiki-kwaGqwarhu location has taken the tough decision of declining lifesaving antiretrovirals (ARVs) because she is simply too poor to buy food and does not want to take her medication on an empty stomach.
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MSF and TAC write to Motsoaledi re the ARV tender
22.10.2012

textDue to several concerns with the antiretroviral tender, the Treatment Action Campaign and MSF last week sent a joint letter to the Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
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ARVs may affect the heart
12.09.2012 Wilma Stassen

textNew research suggests that certain antiretroviral treatment (ART) may increase a person’s risk for heart disease, yet scientists believe that its benefits still far outweigh the harm caused by any of its side effects.
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First-ever study of HIV treatment policies in 23 countries
25.07.2012

textWashington – A first-of-its-kind study released today by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) maps progress across 23 countries on HIV treatment strategies, tools and policies needed to increase treatment scale-up. The results show that governments have made improvements to get better antiretroviral treatment (ART) to more people, but implementation of innovative community-based strategies is lagging in some countries.
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UNAIDS and PEPFAR spotlight global progress in eliminating new HIV infections among children
25.07.2012

textWASHINGTON — Speaking at a satellite session today at the XIX International AIDS Conference, Ambassador Eric Goosby, the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, and Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), commended countries and their international partners for recent progress in preventing new HIV infections among children and saving mothers’ lives.
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HIV/AIDS: Better paediatric HIV formulations
24.07.2012

textWASHINGTON DC, 23 July 2012 (PLUSNEWS) - Fewer babies are being born HIV-positive, but treatment for the more than three million children living with HIV remains under-researched and underfunded. As part of efforts to boost access to paediatric HIV treatment, researchers are getting creative, moving to better pills, kid-friendly treatment "sprinkles", micro-tabs and even medicine-dispensing pacifiers.
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