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Publications The South African Child Gauge is the only publication in the country that provides an annual snap-shot of the status of South Africa’s children.  In 2009 the AIDS Law Project investigated a moratorium on initiating new patients onto ARV treatment at Edendale Hospital in Kwazulu-Natal following press reports from Health-e news and others, and a call from a concerned private practitioner in Pietermaritzburg.We now publish the report of that investigation. Business Day, 9 February 2009  The National Health Act (NHA) is arguably the most important Act passed by Parliament to give effect to the right of everyone to have access to health care services. This right is guaranteed by section 27 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, which places express obligations on the state to progressively realise socio-economic rights, including access to health care.  In South Africa, as in any society, people’s health is a major factor in both personal and social development. But in South Africa, unlike many other societies, people have a constitutional right both to access health services and to be treated in a way that should improve their health. For example, the rights to dignity, authonomy and equality should all inform and have an impact on the right to health. But despite this, South Africa is a very unhealth society and many indicators of health are getting worse. The HIV epidemic, violence against women, and homelessness all have a negative impact on health.  Disability grants or antiretrovirals? A quandary for people with HIV/AIDS in South Africa Article by Chloe Hardy and Marlise Richter published in the African Journal of AIDS Research Volume 5 (1) 2006. According to the Department of Social Development, disability grants are available to adult South African citizens and permanent residents who are incapacitated and unable to work due to illness or disability. A number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PWAs) have accessed disability grants once they have fulfilled the criteria set down by the Department of Social Development. Current government policies entitle PWAs, a least in theory, to access antiretroviral medications. Where PWAs have been able to access antiretroviral treatment (ART) through the government’s antiretroviral programme, this has led to an improvement in their health and subsequent disqualification for a disability grant.  Health and Hope in Our Hands: Addressing HIV and AIDS in the aftermath of rape and woman abuse. This manual offers hands-on advice for service providers, health providers, traditional healers, counsellors and activists on how to deal with rape and sexual assault, as well as to provide a comprehensive package of care to rape survivors. It focuses on post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, and living with HIV/AIDS amongst other topics.  The first edition of HIV/AIDS and the Law: A Resource Manual was published in May 1997. Six years later, stigma, unfair discrimination and human rights violations against people living with HIV or AIDS remain common in our society. This is an attack on the rights of thousands of people to dignity and equality, and also a serious obstacle to effective HIV prevention, treatment and care. |
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Legal advice
Continuing the activist dialogue
Health and HIV