Government's New HIV/AIDS and TB Policies

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South Africa is the country with the most people infected with HIV. On World AIDS Day (1 December), President Jacob Zuma announced the following changes that will take effect from April 2010:

• All HIV positive children under 1 years old will receive treatment, regardless of their level of CD cells. This should cause a significant decline in deaths of infants.

• Those with TB and HIV will get anti-retrovirals if their CD4 count is 350 or lower, rather than the current 200. TB and HIV/AIDS will be treated under one roof. This policy change is due to the deaths which result from undetected TB infection amongst those who are HIV positive.1% of South Africa's population has TB, and the co-infection between TB and HIV is 73%.

• All pregnant HIV positive women with a CD4 count of 350 or with symptoms regardless of CD4 count will receive treatment. Currently HIV positive pregnant women receive treatment only if their CD4 count is less than 200.

• All other HIV positive pregnant women will receive treatment at 14 weeks of pregnancy - at present they have to wait till the last term of pregnancy.

The National AIDS Helpline (0800-012-322) provides a confidential, anonymous 24-hour toll-free telephone counselling, information and referral service for those infected and affected by HIV and AIDS.

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Source: All4women