House of Dlamini

President Jacob Zuma will take almost half his cabinet to Limpopo this week to monitor and evaluate the provincial government’s progress in delivering health services.

National health spokeswoman Zanele Mngadi yesterday confirmed that Zuma would visit Siloam Hospital in Thohoyandou and Lebowakgomo Hospital in Lebowakgomo outside Polokwane on Thursday.

“The president and his delegation are expected to interact with key roleplayers in the health sector, including patients, medical and traditional practitioners, and senior management, to see how the province has strengthened health system effectiveness,” Mngadi said.

Mngadi said Zuma would be accompanied by performance monitoring and evaluation minister Collins Chabane and his deputy, Dina Pule.

Other delegates include finance minister Pravin Gordhan, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi and his deputy Gwen Ramokgopa, Public works minister Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde and social development minister Bathabile Dlamini.

“Among others, they are expected to look at maternal and child mortality rates, combating HIV/Aids and decreasing the burden of diseases like tuberculosis,” said Mngadi.

She said this visit was in line with national efforts to revamp the public health system through the implementation of the re-engineered Primary Health Care model.

Mngadi said six other hospitals and clinics in the province would also be evaluated. – AENS

The population of the AIDS-riven kingdom of Swaziland, already one of the smallest countries in Africa, has fallen by around a fifth in the last decade, figures showed on Friday.

A presentation made at the 2006 Understanding Human Sexuality Seminar in South Africa.

An important finding in our understanding of the nature, scope and impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals, communities and societies around the world and the key role that gender issues play in the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Gender is a culture-specific construct, and the unequal power balance in gender relations that favors males has been shown to be associated with the transmission of HIV/AIDS. This qualitative study explored the views of female high school learners in KZN about gender and sexual relations. Despite the South African Constitution offering equal rights for women, young females perceive males as in control, with the right to make decisions about relationships and sexual practices.

An information campaign hopes to empower communities in Ekurhuleni to be aware of responsible sexual practices.

Women in KwaZulu-Natal will benefit from free health screenings this month. The health department will hold screening services at various public health facilities.

Many of the ill and injured owe their lives to people they will never meet, blood donors, and they were celebrated today on World Blood Donor Day.

Midrand - South Africa has launched its first Global Health Watch (GHW) 2005/06 aimed at reducing health inequalities in the world. The 380-page bi-annual report that mixes academic and civil society input was launched during the final day of the three-day third National Public Health Conference on 17 May.

The depletion of the teaching force in KwaZulu-Natal, largely through HIV and AIDS, has led to the establishment of a research unit which would, among other tasks, monitor trends and determine the success of intervention programmes. With no proper research done so far, the department did not know how many of its 75, 000 teachers were suffering from the illness, nor could it fully realise the impact of HIV and AIDS in schools, like how much teaching contact time was being lost. It is estimated that about 35 percent of KwaZulu-Natal teachers are infected. The results of one study conducted in a semi-urban area of the province did not provide a true reflection of the extent of the disease and more studies needed to be done, said department chief director for education management, Mike Lötter. Now a database is to be set up, with the expertise of a university-based non-governmental organisation, to closely monitor the frequency and duration of leave being taken by teachers. Chief executive of the KwaZulu-Natal department of education, Charles Dlamini, said HIV was the main problem affecting teaching and learning as many teachers were on sick leave but did not disclose the reasons. Some were on leave for such long periods that substitute teachers had to be taken on. There were some classes without teachers and not enough teachers for crucial subjects such as math and science. Dealing with the AIDS problem is one of the main goals of the department this year, to be released as part of its strategic plan in Durban next week. According to the plan, the department would focus on the professional development of teachers, improving and enhancing management at all levels, from head office to regional district offices and schools.