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.
Today the AIDS Law Project, represented on a pro bono basis by Bowman Gilfillan Attorneys, was admitted as a party in the application for the appointment of Dr Ann Skelton as a curator ad litem to represent the interests of unaccompanied children living at the Central Methodist Church in Johannesburg. A curator ad litem is appointed by the Court to legally represent people where they are unable to represent themselves.
Statement on resolving the refugee crisis at the Central Methodist Church, Johannesburg.
The following organizations would like to express our grave concerns regarding the humanitarian crisis that faces homeless people, particularly Zimbabwean migrants, who are seeking shelter at the Central Methodist Church (CMC) in downtown Johannesburg.
It is a terrible irony that the need for an effective and ongoing response to the AIDS epidemic will be one of the defining legacies left to the ANC by a President who tried to deny the existence of HIV. It is also ironic that the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), an organization that Mbeki once branded as ‘flag carrier for pharmaceutical companies’, is heralded one of the few organizations that was able to force a complete overturn policy in an area defined and defended by himself, during his Presidency.
Documents related to the Central Methodist Church vs City of Johannesburg (Loitering Case)
In response to a call for input on the Green Paper: National Strategic Planning, the ALP recently made a submission to the Presidency and Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee on the Green Paper on National Strategic Planning. The ALP’s interest in making this submission stems from its commitment to defend and enforce human rights and to ensure that the state discharges its constitutional obligations in accordance with its democratic mandate and the rule of law.
Business Day, 9 February 2009
LAST November, a roadmap for health reform was finalised by a range of stakeholders in the field of health care, including the government. The purpose of the roadmap, which was developed under the auspices of the Development Bank of Southern Africa, is to provide guidance to the next government on priorities for health reform. It reflects a rare consensus regarding the achievements and failures of the health system, as well as new priorities.
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.
Printed copies are available from the AIDS Law Project for R90.
The illegal clinical trials of Matthias Rath exposed.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and the AIDS Law Project (ALP) welcome this opportunity to make a submission to the Panel for the Independent Assessment of Parliament. The TAC and ALP are civil society organizations dedicated to upholding the rights of people to have access to health care services, to ensuring that the state discharges its positive constitutional obligations in respect of that right, and to ensuring a comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS both domestically and internationally.
The ALP made a submission to the KZN Health Department regarding draft of the Kwazulu-Natal Health Care Bill, 2007. In our view, the KZN Bill has the potential to complement the broad legislative framework provided by the National Health Act, 2003. In particular, it has the potential to provide much of the needed detail in respect of which the Act expressly authorises the provinces to legislate, thereby enabling provincial and local government authorities to render health care services in accordance with the needs of the people of KZN.
South Africa has a strong legislative framework aimed at preventing HIV-related discrimination in the workplace.
Guidelines developed by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Code of Good Practice on HIV/AIDS which is linked to the Employment Equity Act (EEA) provide useful information on the content of HIV workplace policies.