Africa

A Rogues' Gallery

JOHANNESBURG, 18 April 2012 (PlusNews) - Grantees of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria who allegedly committed fraud or misused funds unwittingly did a lot of damage to the Fund – and, many say, global health - as donors withdrew and the beleaguered organization faced a "crisis of confidence" in recent years. But the Fund has responded and is undergoing an extensive restructuring process. IRIN/PlusNews takes a look at some of the alleged fraudsters and the progress of the investigations. full report

AFRICA: Co-trimoxazole discontinuation linked to increased malaria

NAIROBI, 11 April 2012 (PlusNews) - Abruptly discontinuing co-trimoxazole - an antibiotic used to prevent opportunistic infections in HIV-positive people - can lead to a higher incidence of malaria and diarrhoea compared with patients who keep on taking the drug, a new study has found. full report

HIV/AIDS: Book review - AIDS at 30: A History

KAMPALA, 14 March 2012 (PlusNews) - While tracking the progress and pitfalls of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, Victoria Harden shows in her book, AIDS at 30: A History, that understanding how we got here is key to charting the path to overcoming the pandemic. full report

HIV/AIDS: Ten condom commandments

NAIROBI, 29 February 2012 (PlusNews) - Condoms are widely promoted as one of the most effective ways of preventing the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, but a recent study has found that incorrect use of condoms is common and affects their effectiveness. full report

HIV/AIDS: WHO clarifies guidance on hormonal contraception and HIV

JOHANNESBURG, 17 February 2012 (PlusNews) - Four months after a study suggested women on hormonal contraception may be at an increased HIV risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed the birth control method's safety, but strongly recommends that women on progesterone-only injections, like Depo-Provera, also use condoms to prevent HIV infection. full report

HIV/AIDS: Global Fund shake-up signals new direction

NAIROBI/JOHANNESBURG, 2 February 2012 (PlusNews) - The appointment of a new general manager, Gabriel Jaramillo, at the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis could be a "turning point" for the troubled organization, which has suffered from a funding crisis and allegations of corruption. full report

AFRICA: Snake oil salesmen and dodgy HIV "cures"

NAIROBI/JOHANNESBURG, 19 January 2012 (PlusNews) - Uganda's National Drug Authority recently arrested sales representatives of a company selling a drug that purports to cure HIV; the firm's owners are not licensed to sell medicine and are being sought by the police. full report

HIV/AIDS: Ten big stories in 2011

NAIROBI/JOHANNESBURG, 29 December 2011 (PlusNews) - It's been a roller coaster of a year in HIV and AIDS. AIDS turned 30 in 2011, and with new evidence of the effectiveness of HIV treatment as prevention, experts are increasingly talking about "the end of AIDS". At the same time, however, funding for HIV has become ever more uncertain, jeopardizing efforts to put new, life-saving science into action. full report

HIV/AIDS: Five faces we were watching in 2011

NAIROBI, 27 December 2011 (PlusNews) - From scientific breakthroughs to herbal "cures", HIV was never far from the headlines in 2011. full report

HEALTH: HIV and the risk of non-communicable diseases

NAIROBI, 22 December 2011 (PlusNews) - While antiretroviral drugs have significantly improved the life expectancy of people living with HIV, the virus - and often the ARVs themselves - can make people more susceptible to non-communicable diseases than the rest of the population. full report
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