Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg)
12 October 2001
Estimated worldwide HIV infections: Thursday October 11 3.30pm 43 675 229
Passing it on: A Malawian court has sentenced a 60-year-old woman to seven years in jail for infecting an 11-year-old boy with HIV. Emmie Nkumbira forced the boy to have sex with her on August 24. The boy told his parents after developing genital sores. Police arrested the woman and took her to hospital where she was diagnosed as having syphilis and HIV.
The good news: The rate of HIV infection in the North West province has dropped by 0,2% from 23,1% to 22,9%. MEC for Health Molefi Sefularo says his department has embarked on several programmes in an attempt to stem the HIV/Aids tide. The department has increased its voluntary HIV/Aids counselling and testing sites from 11 to 55 and plans to open more in the near future.
Hijack warning: The Earth Summit to be held in September next year is in danger of being hijacked by HIV/Aids issues if the South African government fails to properly manage the Aids debate, the labour union, MWU Solidarity says.
"Just as the recent anti-racism conference in Durban was hijacked by the Palestinian and Israeli debate, the Aids question may do the same in respect of the coming Earth Summit."
Source: www.redribbon.co.za, news organisations
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