Media briefs

New findings indicate that HIV incidence is declining and that the impact of antiretroviral treatment is having an effect on the South African epidemic.

In South Africa, more people live with HIV and AIDS than anywhere else and the country is currently implementing the largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme in the world. It is therefore befitting that South Africa has embarked on a series of repeated national population-based HIV surveys to help in monitoring the response as a nation to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Three national HIV household surveys, led by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) have been conducted in South Africa: the first in 2002, followed by surveys in 2005 and 2008. These surveys collected data not only on the HIV status but also information on socio-demographic and behavioural determinants which greatly enhanced the analysis and interpretation of the observed trends in HIV prevalence and incidence (new infections).

Nearly all pregnant women in South Africa visit antenatal care clinics during pregnancy (97%), while nearly three-quarters have received antenatal services five times during their pregnancy (71.4%). There is also a high utilisation of public primary health care services for children in South Africa - although this does not always mean that services such as immunisation services are utilised.

An overwhelming majority (91.9%) of respondents who participated in an intervention programme to educate people on HIV and AIDS in one of 19 areas where the programme is active, said that they could take control of HIV.

Professor Leickness Simbayi has been appointed as executive director of the large research programme on the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), from 1 June 2009.

DURBAN - South Africa may be experiencing parallel heterosexual and homosexual HIV epidemics, researchers warned here today at the 4th South African AIDS Conference.

The needs of HIV-discordant couples (i.e. where one partner is HIV positive and the other HIV negative) have received insufficient attention in the research and policy agenda. Discordant couples ought to be provided with sexual and reproductive health services in a supportive and non-discriminatory environment; and should be engaged in the HIV response.

The research component of the 3^rd South African National HIV, Behaviour and Health Survey has been launched this morning (Tuesday, 27 May 2008) in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban.

The HSRC wishes to set the record straight concerning various media reports that have cited research from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), saying there is a shortage of 15 000 teachers.

The availability of laboratory-based tests for recent HIV infection signals a new era in HIV surveillance, and now offers a direct measure for tracking the epidemic and evaluating the impacts of prevention interventions.

The 2005 South African national household survey on HIV Prevalence, Incidence, Behaviour and Communication found that half of HIV-positive respondents did not consider themselves at risk of acquiring HIV.

The HIV infection rate in the general population is estimated to be 10.8%, but in young adults, this rate is much higher.

An estimated 34 000 new teachers will be required to the year 2008 to maintain the current learner to educator ratio.

HIV risk exposure of young children (2-9) in the Free State province

The first comprehensive survey of factors determining educator supply and demand in South African public schools.

From 4-7 April 2005, in Cape Town. Find out more

Former President Nelson Mandela and the Nelson Mandela Foundation are calling on all South Africans to participate in the National 2004 HIV/AIDS study.

The inaugural International Institute on Gender and HIV/AIDS: strengthening the connections between practice, policy and research takes place in Benoni, South Africa, from 7-11 June 2004.

Social scientists have the power to dramatically halt the spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the sub-Saharan region.

Children run a much greater risk of contracting HIV than previously thought.

The primary focus of research should be to enhance efforts to fight the AIDS epidemic.

Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS Research Conference opens in Cape Town.

A new study on the healthcare expenditure of six Southern African countries has found that for the exception of South Africa and Zimbabwe, promises of government expenditure ono healthcare are not being met.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa is projected to have peaked in 2002 and new projections show that it is now beginning to level off.

A study proposes to investigate findings that 5.6% of young children in South Africa are HIV-positive.

According to South Africa’s first ever nationally representative survey of HIV prevalence, 11.4% of the country’s population of two years and older are living with HIV/AIDS. Some 12.8% of women and 9.5% of men tested HIV-positive.

‘The information gained in this study marks a watershed in our fight against HIV/AIDS. I am proud to say we now have the data to tackle the epidemic more vigorously,’ says former President Nelson Mandela, who commissioned the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) to conduct the study under the auspices of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

The Nelson Mandela/HSRC Study on HIV/AIDS – released on 5 December in Johannesburg – is based on a representative sample of 9 963 people drawn from households across the country, 8 428 of whom consented to be tested for HIV and submitted saliva specimens.