4 health apps to get you going
Every year most of us make health and fitness goals but sticking with them becomes a different story. Whether those goals include losing weight, meditating... Read More
A health resource for men who have sex with men
Health4Men News
SEXY AND YOU KNOW IT? TAKE PrEP
Sexy people come in all shapes and sizes. As they say, everyone is someone’s some kind of wonderful. But there are some of us out... Read More
EJAF FUNDING TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO IVAN TOMS CLINIC
The Western Cape Department of Health and the Anova Health Institute are pleased to announce their continued partnership to maintain the Ivan Toms Centre for... Read More
End Of PEPFAR/USAID Funding For Health4Men
The Anova Health Institute is sad to announce that funding from USAID for sections of our Health4Men programme will be coming to an end, effective... Read More
The HIV and Depression Connection
Depression is the most common psychiatric illness worldwide, with the average person having a lifetime risk of about 10% of having a depressive episode (1).... Read More
Where have all the good men gone?
There is this gay sex on demand app. For now, let’s just call it G-Findr. Maybe you’ve heard of it? I used to go on... Read More
Yellow Dot Doctors
Pssst. Hey you. You’re probably wondering what this big Yellow Dot is trying to tell you. This big Yellow Dot is very different to everything else.... Read More
Ekurhuleni Pride 10 September 2016
Esau Dlamini shares some thoughts on Ekurhuleni Pride taking place this weekend. The Ekurhuleni 2016 LGBTI Pride March is set to be held at Vosloorus... Read More
Health4Men AFRICA: sharing expertise across the continent
In addition to undertaking extensive training of health workers within the public sector in South Africa, Anova Health Institute’s Health4Men Initiative commenced training clinicians and... Read More
5 WAYS TO BE A HEALTHIER GUY: It’s easier than you think.
June is Men’s Health Month, so why not try applying a few of these tips and you could find a healthier you on the other... Read More
IDAHOT 2016
Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia and this year’s theme is ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing’. The topic of mental health and wellbeing... Read More
Anova and Elton John Aids Foundation PrEP Demonstration for MSM
The Anova Health Institute is very excited to announce that it has successfully launched the first South African, nurse drive and state-clinic based PrEP project... Read More
Anova Embraces the Approval of PrEP in South Africa
The Anova Health Institute welcomes the move by the Medicines Control Council (MCC) after they officially registered the use of a combination of two antiretroviral... Read More
Time to reposition one of Africa’s great debates: gay rights
Over the past few years, we have seen an explosion of arguments for and against gay rights in Africa. Those in favour of gay rights... Read More
MEDICAL MARKETING OPPORTUNITY – HEALTH4MEN DETAILER
Anova Health Institute needs the skills of a Key Accounts Manager/ Academic Detailer/ Educational Outreach Coordinator Health4Men Private Sector Parktown Be part of an exciting... Read More
Art For Anova
Anova Health Institute is looking to support local artists! Show us what you have (it can be a painting, a drawing or a photograph –... Read More
Campaign bolsters bravery amongst men who have sex with men
Are you after a Bear that bares it all in a dark club? A Muscle-Mary with a penis as firm as his pecs? A Twink... Read More
Health4Men on Cliff Central’s Health Hour
Health4Men join Dr Sindi van Zyl on Cliff Central to discuss men who have sex with men. The stigma that surrounds it, the taboo and unanswered questions.
An amfAR Scholar Researches PEP Use Among MSM in Developing Countries
PEP studies among MSM have been done in Amsterdam, Brazil, and San Francisco, but never before in Africa—despite the fact that in most of Africa MSM have one of the highest rates of HIV infection.
“There is someone in our corner” by an anonymous contributor
I am a 48-year-old gay male (not flamboyant) who recently contracted the hepatitis B virus. This is my story.
HEALTH4MEN’S SEXY SURVEY
Want to know what gay and bisexual men get up to in bed? Or how often we cruise online, use sex toys, get into kink or have group sex?
HAVING FUN WITH A FEMALE CONDOM – Glenn de Swardt
Most of us can relate to thinking "Damn that I have to keep using condoms !†in spite of our knowing that consistent condom use and reducing our number of sexual partners remain our best defence against STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) and HIV. Traditional condoms can interrupt the natural flow of a spontaneous act, are blamed by some for erectile dysfunction, and tops complain that condoms reduce sensation.
PnP – PARTY AND PLAY by Glenn de Swardt 11 Nov 2011
In Straightville the acronym PnP is invariably associated with a shopping list and stocking up on fresh fruit and veg or no-name-brand two-ply. However PnP has acquired a more sinister meaning in Gayville; in international gay parlance PnP has become established as an acronym for Party ‘n Play. Simply put, PnP is about bonking while under the influence of recreational drugs.
“There is someone in our corner”
I am a 48-year-old gay male (not flamboyant) who recently contracted the hepatitis B virus. This is my story.
World Aids Day
To date the function of World AIDS Day and what it signifies has been an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV and to commemorate people who have died. This year WAD is celebrating its sweet 16, and to me it should be a circumspect celebration of man and life.
French Letters and Chocolate Hearts
Despite being the shortest month of the year, February can be a testy month for many of us. This is because, if you’re single, the 14th of February can seem like a hungry mosquito whose imminent and no doubt aggravating arrival cannot be stopped. Valentine’s Day practically spits glitter into the single gay man’s eye.
South African health organisation heralds new era in HIV prevention
The Anova Health Institute, the lead organisation addressing HIV among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa, welcomes the announcement of exciting developments regarding HIV prevention at the 2015 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. The conference is currently taking place in Seattle, Washington
French Letters and Chocolate Hearts
Despite being the shortest month of the year, February can be a testy month for many of us. This is because, if you’re single, the 14th of February can seem like a hungry mosquito whose imminent and no doubt aggravating arrival cannot be stopped. Valentine’s Day practically spits glitter into the single gay man’s eye.
New aggressive strain of HIV can progress to AIDS in just three years, scientists warn
An aggressive new strain of HIV has been identified, scientists have warned.
A new study found the strain, called CRF19, is capable of transforming from an infection to full-blown aids within just three years.
That is considerably faster than the average conversion time of around 10 years - and can be so quick that a person may not even realise they are infected.
Primate Studies Raise Hope of Eventual Quarterly Injected PrEP
Researchers from two primate studies reached conclusions that quarterly injected PrEP (four times a year) may one day become a reality for humans.
New HIV Treatment, Antiretroviral Cabotegravir, Lasts For Three Months
Today, HIV infections are completely treatable thanks to antiretroviral medication. Only problem is these drugs must be taken on a regular basis for them to remain effective, and for many HIV-positive individuals throughout the world, this simply isn’t possible. A new antiretroviral drug called cabotegravir, however, may solve this widespread problem, since it only requires injection once every three months.
A possible HIV vaccine in the form of a pill?
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are testing a new oral vaccine to prevent infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The vaccine is unique because it is given as a pill, unlike most HIV vaccines tested to date that have been given as shots.
Scientists train immune system to spot and destroy cure-defying mutant HIV
Luring dormant HIV out of hiding and destroying its last cure-defying holdouts has become the holy grail of HIV eradication, but several recent attempts to do so have failed. Now the findings of a Johns Hopkins-led study reveal why that is and offer a strategy that could form a blueprint for a therapeutic vaccine to eradicate lingering virus from the body.
The surprising link between HIV and hearing loss
Adults who are HIV-positive are more likely to experience hearing loss than adults who do not have HIV, according to research published online December 26 in JAMA-Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Researchers report that adults with HIV were more likely to experience difficulty hearing both high and low tones, regardless of the severity of HIV disease progression or the use of and adherence to HIV medications. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the new findings expand upon earlier research that has suggested an increased risk of hearing loss in adults with HIV.
And…Cut! (A double circumcision story)
Circumcision is a controversial topic. Pros and cons exist for men who are cut, and men who are not. In 2007, I decided to get cut. I had a number of reasons, amongst them that I prefer the way cut dicks look, personal hygiene, and that I’d heard that I would have 60% less chance of contracting HIV, should I ever have unprotected sex.
Ground breaking website launched in Africa for men who have sex with men
Men who have sex with men (MSM) living in East Africa, where homophobia is on the rise, now have access to a unique website, Afya4Men.info, which contains comprehensive sexual health information targeted to their specific needs.
Here comes the red ribbon
Come December 1, 2014, millions worldwide will be flaunting a red ribbon of some sort. It’s amazing to see how the iconic simple red ribbon has evolved since the first World AIDS Day in 1998, becoming more and more creative with each year. There are mosaics, quilts, tattoos, even ribbons written in the clouds. Gotta love Pinterest, until they suspend your account for pinning an “inappropriate” pic (in my defense it was the hottest naked man I’d seen in a long time; a sleeping beau with bulging biceps and virility that covered one third of the screen that made me swallow involuntarily…pure art has that effect on me).
World has five years to secure victory in HIV fight
The world has five years to increase access to HIV treatment and prevention to end HIV as a global health threat – and prevent the pandemic from resurging, according to the latest global HIV report released last night.
One in eight gay men in London now have HIV
The equivalent of nine gay men received a positive HIV diagnosis every day in 2013
Good news for HIV positive men with low testosterone levels
There is good news for HIV-positive men who are in the majority of those who suffer from low testosterone.
HIV infection highest among men who have sex with men
Almost half of the men who have sex with men in Durban are HIV infected and about a quarter of such men in Johannesburg and Cape Town have HIV, according to a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) study that was released on Tuesday.
HOW GAY MEN CAN DECREASE THEIR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING ANAL CANCER
Lance Feeney discusses how gay men can decrease the chance of developing anal cancer.
It is a little over a year since the Positive Life NSW President Malcolm Leech died of anal cancer and I’ve been thinking of him and his commitment to the myriad of health and social issues faced by peoples’ living with HIV. I’ve come to realise that we need to avert other deaths from anal cancer in gay men and people with HIV.
Safe sex revolution means new options: soon condoms won’t be your only choice
HIV advocates and researchers admit that many people do not use condoms. Now there are revolutionary new ways of preventing HIV infection including taking a pill day.
Webinar Recording Now Available: Drug Use & Harm Reduction among MSM
Presented by the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) in partnership with Anova Health Institute and Mainline, this webinar focuses on drug use and harm reduction among men who have sex with men (MSM). The webinar is intended for a global audience of community-based organizations and healthcare providers who serve MSM but who may not have expertise in harm reduction programming.
Health4Men’s mobi site expands its tech reach
Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute at the forefront of promoting access to competent health services for men who have sex with men (MSM) throughout South Africa, has extended their use of cellular phone technology to reach their target group.
“Be Informed and Beat STIs”
Kenworth Spar (Rocklands) - Bloemfontein
31st October 2014
09h00 - 14h30
Elton John AIDS Foundation supports Health4Men
A new $7 million grant for the Anova Health Institute’s Health4Men project to address HIV in South Africa’s gay, bisexual and MSM (men who have sex with men) community has been announced in both Washington and Johannesburg. This significant international funding boost to expand MSM-targeted HIV-related services in South Africa is the result of a new partnership between the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Upcoming Webinar: Drug Use and Harm Reduction among MSM
In partnership with Anova Health Institute and Mainline, the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) presents a webinar on drug use and harm reduction among men who have sex with men (MSM). The webinar is intended for a global audience of community-based organizations and healthcare providers who serve MSM but who may not have expertise in harm reduction programming.
FDA Approves Harvoni, Gilead’s Sofosbuvir/Ledipasvir Combo Pill for Hepatitis C
On October 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new once-daily combination pill for the treatment of genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C containing Gilead Sciences’ HCV nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir (Sovaldi) plus ledipasvir, the first approved HCV NS5A inhibitor.
Getting to the bottom of married men
It was going to be a quick trip to the supermarket. I didn’t even want to go in the first place but I had visitors from Cape Town and they wanted breakfast. Luckily it was early and I got parking right by the entrance of the mall. I zipped through the aisles grabbing the necessary and as I swept a two-litre bottle of milk off the shelf an Adonis checking out the nutritional info on the side of a milk carton stopped me in my tracks.
ED Drugs Associated with Sexual Risk Behaviors and STIs in HIV+ Men
Use of prescription erectile dysfunction (ED) medication was significantly associated with sexual risk behavior in HIV-positive men, according to data presented at IDWeek 2014 by Greer Burkholder, MD, of the Infectious Diseases Department, University of Alabama at Birmingham.
TECHNICAL BRIEFS ON HIV & YOUNG KEY POPULATIONS
To help address the HIV epidemic among young members of key populations, the United Nations Interagency Working Group on Key Populations has produced a series of technical briefs focused on the needs and realities of young men who have sex with men, young people who sell sex, young people who use drugs, and young transgender people.
Half of HIV Positive Gay and Bisexual Men Are Untreated
Two new studies indicate differences in treatment among racial groups.
Letting my ‘guard’ down
Shortly before my 28th birthday, I discovered that a friend of mine was HIV positive. He wasn’t a very close friend, but I knew him quite well and it came as a shock to me because he was well educated, intelligent and financially established in the world, and I believed that people like him did not get HIV. I couldn’t understand how someone like that could be “dumb” enough to have unprotected sex. In the nineties almost every gay movie I could get my hands on was about gay men struggling with HIV or AIDS. How could he not have known to wear a condom? It was constantly drummed into us.
Long acting HIV drugs to be developed
HIV drugs which only need to be taken once a month are to be developed at the University of Liverpool in a bid to overcome the problem of ‘pill fatigue’.
Gene Therapy May Hold Key to HIV Cure, If Government Allows It
Using patients’ genetic material to help attack their particular version of HIV.
New Single-Tablet Regimen: FDA Approves Triumeq
ViiV Healthcare’s single-tablet regimen Triumeq won Food and Drug Administration approval on August 22, 2014. Triumeq is the first FDA-approved single-tablet regimen (STR) that does not contain tenofovir (Viread), a widely used antiretroviral drug linked with bone and kidney problems in some susceptible HIV-positive individuals.
STUDY: HIV Drug Resistance Linked to Long Term Use of Certain Antiretrovirals
A meta-analysis of HIV patients in China shows strong relationship between didanosine-based treatments and increase in drug resistance.
WHO: HOMOSEXUALITY-RELATED ‘DISORDERS’ SHOULD BE DROPPED
A World Health Organisation (WHO) working group has called for the scrapping of so-called “homosexuality-related psychological disorders”.
South Africa faces HIV funding test with shift in PEPFAR money
With PEPFAR planning to shift about $100 million in HIV funding from South Africa to poorer countries, the New York Times reports, the country will face stern challenges in maintaining its AIDS effort.
STUDY: Tivicay Surpresses HIV Even in Those Who are Drug Resistant
Tivicay, the recently approved HIV integrase inhibitor — a class of antiretroviral drug that is designed to block a virus from entering the DNA of a host cell — demonstrated high rates of viral suppression in a recent study. Significantly, Tivicay is also proven effective for people who are resistant to HIV antiretroviral drugs, according to NAM.
2014 Global Men’s Health and Rights Survey
Be heard! Share your experiences and be counted in this global survey on the health and human rights of gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM)!
Health organisation supports gay rights development in Uganda
Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute that addresses sexual health and HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM), congratulates sexual minority activists in Uganda for successfully challenging and getting overturned the country’s homophobic ‘Anti-Homosexuality Act’. As widely reported, this draconian Act not only resulted in a dramatic increase in persecution of sexual minorities within Uganda, it also severely limited the ability of HIV health organisations to function within the country.
Anti-gay laws, policies, and HIV
A number of groups had attended to oppose the bill, which criminalized “homosexual touch,” punished R#8220;promotion of homosexuality,” criminalized renting housing to gay people. I was there with the Civil Society Coalition for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, discussing public health implications of HIV prevention and care, citing research from Uganda. Earlier, the Uganda Human Rights Commission had offered objections to the bill. Colleagues weighed in on legal grounds, and UNAIDS Country Representative, Mr. Musa Bungudu, reminded everyone of Uganda’s huge HIV burden.
Forced mutations doom HIV
Fifteen years ago, MIT professor John Essigmann and colleagues from the University of Washington had a novel idea for an HIV drug. They thought if they could induce the virus to mutate uncontrollably, they could force it to weaken and eventually die out — a strategy that our immune system uses against many viruses.
No Link Between Efavirenz and Neurocognitive Impairment in Italian Study
The widely used antiretroviral drug efavirenz was not linked with neurocognitive impairment in a study reported this week at AIDS 2014. Efavirenz (Sustiva, also part of the popular Atripla combo pill) has been associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric symptoms ranging from vivid dreams to depression, but whether the drug contributes to neurocognitive impairment (NCI) has been debated.
Motsoaledi reveals ‘progressive’ HIV treatment plans
New treatment schedules for pregnant women and other patients are set to bring South Africa in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines.
A proof of concept for an HIV cure exists. Now even our setbacks are useful
The Mississippi baby, in remission for over two years, recently experienced HIV rebound. This low – if it can be called that – shouldn’t dampen our hopes for a cure
AIDS 2014 Conference in Melbourne - Anova Poster Presentations
The 20th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2014) will be held from 20-25 July 2014 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Melbourne, Australia.
It represents a tremendous opportunity to highlight the diverse nature of the Asia Pacific region’s HIV epidemic and the unique responses to it.
South Africa leads in HIV prevention among gay groups
As homophobic discrimination continues to sweep across the African continent, we should be acutely mindful of the diverse ways it harms societies. While we are most aware of the direct effect of homophobic physical violence on sexual minority groups, it is also crucial that we are cognisant of the other insidious and multifaceted ways in which stigma and discrimination impact not just on sexual minorities but also on society at large.
More men say “yes” to PrEP in a post-trial access study
Data presented today at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne and published simultaneously in the Lancet provides the first clear evidence for who wants PrEP—and how they use it outside of the United States.
PrEP Works Despite Missed Doses, Although Daily Use Is Advised
No one who took Truvada PrEP at least four times per week acquired HIV in the iPrEx Open Label Extension (iPrEx OLE) demonstration project, according to data presented today at the AIDS 2014 conference in Melbourne. These new data support PrEP as a valuable HIV prevention option even when adherence may be less than 100%.
“Adherence has to be good, not great,” said iPrEx protocol chair Robert Grant, MD, MPH, of the Gladstone Institutes, the University of California at San Francisco, and San Francisco AIDS Foundation, in his late-breaker presentation of the study results.
Researchers Find New Way to Kick Out HIV From Infected Cells
The technique addresses the problem of hidden reservoirs of HIV in the body, and could herald a new way of battling the viral infection
As New York Embraces HIV-Preventing Pill, Some Voice Doubts
AIDS researchers and policymakers from around the globe are gathering in Melbourne, Australia, for a major international conference that starts this Monday. They’ll be mourning dozens of colleagues who died in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.
But the work of the conference will continue, and one of the major topics to be discussed is expanding the use of a pill that prevents HIV.
Gay Men Who Discuss HIV Before Sex More Likely to Stay Negative
A new study of German gay men finds that those who discuss HIV before sex are much less likely to acquire the virus and also finds that HIV has a tendency to transmit during the first six months of a relationship, aidsmap reports. Publishing their findings in BMC Public Health, researchers studied 105 gay men with recently diagnosed HIV and compared them with 105 HIV-negative controls, collecting the data between 2008 and 2010.
HIV-killing condom to soon hit shelves in Australia
A condom that can kill the HIV virus and designed by a bio-tech firm in Australia is set to hit stores within the next few months.
New treatments for Hepatitis C have been announced at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne
One of the studies that looked at the efficiency of a new three-drug combination, which included ABT450, Ritonavir and an NS5A inhibitor, found 97 per cent of patients had no trace of Hepatitis C twelve weeks after treatment.
Anova Health Institute mourns significant loss
South Africa’s Anova Health Institute is deeply saddened by the news that more than 100 AIDS researchers, activists and health workers, who were en route to attend the 20th International AIDS Conference taking place in Melbourne, Australia, were on board the Malaysian Airlines MH17 flight that crashed over Ukraine yesterday. Anova sends condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those who have been lost to this tragedy.
Dr Paul Semugoma honoured with Human Rights Award
At the last International AIDS Conference in 2012, Paul Semugoma, M.D., delivered a rousing speech about the rights of LGBT and HIV-positive people in Africa. It was also at this moment that he decided to publicly come out as a gay man. This year at AIDS 2014, Dr Semugoma will stand again before the assembled crowd to accept the Elizabeth Taylor Human Rights Award in recognition of his accomplishments as a leader and advocate for human rights in the field of HIV/AIDS.
Let’s talk about sex, baby. Let’s talk about HIV…
One of my favourite sitcom quotes comes from Will & Grace when Karen tries to coax Jack into sleeping with Beverly (Lesley Jordan) for money. “Oh you’ll do it. You’ll do it the same way any self-respecting woman does. Get on your back, point your heels to Jesus and think of handbags.”
Inheriting HIV: A bitter pill to swallow
Ten years after South Africa began providing free HIV treatment, a generation of children born with HIV continues to come of age with the virus. One young Mpumalanga man shares his story.
NATIVE VML’s condom walls spread the word on STI prevention
Giant tactical installations in South African cities with thousands of condoms spelling out the names of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), is an innovative way through which the USAID-funded Anova’s Health4Men initiative is spreading the message of STI prevention.
Video Games, Social Networks, Chat Rooms, May Help Prevent HIV
While many HIV prevention interventions have traditionally been delivered face-to-face, a study from Columbia University School of Nursing suggests that digital outreach efforts delivered via text messages, interactive games, chat rooms, and social networks may be an effective way to reach at-risk younger men.
Webinar Recording Now Available: Clinical Management of MSM in Resource-Limited Settings
On June 18th, the MSMGF and ANOVA Health Institute presented a webinar on lessons learned from the Health4Men state-sector sexual health program targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa. This successful program has now provided care to more than 8000 MSM in 4 provinces across the country and is being extended nationally. The project spans both urban and rural settings with diverse operational requirements
Scientists use stem cells to create HIV resistance
(Medical Xpress)—Yuet Wai Kan of the University of California, San Francisco and colleagues have created HIV-resistant white blood cells by editing the genomes of induced pluripotent stem cells. The researchers inserted genes with a mutation that confers resistance to HIV into stem cells. White blood cells grown from these stem cells were HIV resistant. The research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
11 Condom Designs Each Get $100,000 From Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting 11 condom designs with grants of $100,000 each to improve user experience, according to a foundation statement. The grants are funded through its Grand Challenges Explorations initiative, which supports innovative ideas to tackle key global health and development problems.
Cure for HIV on the cards — scientists discover a way to kill hidden HIV virus
Scientists have identified a new way to reactivate latent HIV, which could help overcome one of the biggest obstacles to finding a cure for the deadly virus. Researchers at the Gladstone Institutes found that increasing the random activity, or noise, associated with HIV gene expression – without increasing the average level of gene expression – can reactivate latent HIV.
Scientists Uncover Features of Antibody-Producing Cells in People Infected with HIV
Using advanced tools to probe B-cell responses to HIV and other pathogens in the laboratory, the researchers found that the B cells that make antibodies to HIV in infected, untreated people are abnormal in that they are more activated, unstable and unresponsive to further stimulation than normal B cells, and also are infrequently observed in healthy people. This finding may help explain why HIV-specific antibodies naturally produced by HIV-infected people do not clear the infection, according to the scientists.
We’ll Never Stop the Spread of HIV Without a Vaccine
Out of 90 vaccine attempts, only 5 vaccine candidates were worthy of progressing to phase two or phase three human efficacy trials, and of those five, only two vaccines continue in clinical trials today — one in this country and one in South Africa. But we can’t stop now.
Drug Delivery System Cuts Daily Medication Needs to Semiannual Injections
New research from the University of Cambridge has now made it possible to reduce a person’s daily medication needs down to only two semiannual injections. This twice-per-year drug delivery system would not only be much more convenient for people suffering from conditions like diabetes and HIV/AIDS, but might also increase people’s long-term adherence to their prescribed drug regimens.
Bacteria linked to Heart Disease in HIV-Positive People
The first direct proof of a long-suspected cause of multiple HIV-related health complications was recently obtained by a team led by the University of Pittsburgh Center for Vaccine Research (CVR). The study also found that a non-HIV drug may help address the problem.
ART adherence higher among youth in Africa than North America
Adolescents and young people (AYA) aged 12 – 24 in Africa and Asia are more likely to be adherent to antiretroviral therapy (ART) than their counterparts in North America and Europe, according to research published in AIDS this week. The study points to the fact that the HIV epidemics in North America and Europe are concentrated among key populations who are often marginalised from society, meaning they are hidden and have inadequate access to HIV services, such as treatment.
ART adherence higher among youth in Africa than North America
Adolescents and young people (AYA) aged 12 – 24 in Africa and Asia are more likely to be adherent to antiretroviral therapy (ART) than their counterparts in North America and Europe, according to research published in AIDS this week. The study points to the fact that the HIV epidemics in North America and Europe are concentrated among key populations who are often marginalised from society, meaning they are hidden and have inadequate access to HIV services, such as treatment.
Are you open? An exploration of open relationships
I have been fascinated with open relationships for more than 10 years. Africa is not traditionally monogamous and is no stranger to polyamory (loving more than one person at a time). Our own ‘prez’ has 4 wives and has been married six times. Initially I believed open relationships to be wrong, dangerous and not for me…
Celebrating Nurses Day: Stigma-free care for MSM
With the upscaling of South Africa’s HIV treatment programme necessitating task-shifting and the decentralisation of the South African healthcare system, nurses have become the backbone of public health, with most healthcare service centres being run entirely by nurses, with the support of visiting doctors.
To mark International Nurses Day on 12 May 2014, Anova is celebrating its nurses, and the work it does with nurses in the public health sector through its Health Systems Strengthening activities.
HIV Cure Research: Separating the Hope from the Hype
Sound science takes time. As Richard Jefferys of Treatment Action Group explained in a recent webinar, “HIV Cure Research—Getting Past the Media Hype,” a number of clinical trials are underway in the quest for an HIV cure, but none of the interventions currently under study are expected to cure people of HIV. Rather, those studies provide essential information to get cure science to “the next round” of development, said Jefferys.
Jefferys and webinar co-host David Evans, director of research advocacy at Project Inform and community advisory board member with the Delaney AIDS Research Enterprise, unpacked the concept of “cure,” outlined the types of cure currently under study, and highlighted key questions at the heart of cure research today.
Molecule in soy sauce might help fight HIV
HIV patients may soon get help from an unlikely source: a molecule used to enhance the flavors of soy sauce.
HIV infection increases risk of melanoma
HIV infection is associated with an increased risk of melanoma, according to the results of a meta-analysis published in PLOS ONE. Overall, people living with HIV had a 26% increase in their relative risk of melanoma compared to the general population, the risk increasing by 50% for white-skinned people with HIV. The increased risk was statistically significant in white-skinned people diagnosed with HIV and of borderline statistical significance for all people diagnosed with HIV.
Discovery of HIV Vulnerability Aids Vaccine Research
A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) working with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has discovered a new vulnerable site on the HIV virus. The newly identified site can be attacked by antibodies in a way that neutralizes a wide variety of HIV strains.
Tenofovir Alone May Work as Well as Truvada for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis
Tenofovir used as a single agent for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may be as effective as the Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) coformulation for preventing HIV infection, which, if confirmed, could have implications for cost and access worldwide.
HPV may be the new HIV
In Africa, both HIV and HPV are most frequently transmitted through sexual contact. Although much attention is paid to the AIDS epidemic in Africa, HPV-related cancers, particularly in people with HIV, can be as fatal as AIDS.
Cure News
Here’s a look at some of the HIV cure headlines over the past couple months. The ever-growing momentum towards a cure, particularly funding for cure initiatives, is encouraging.
Gay Men Divided Over Use of HIV Prevention Drug
It’s the Truvada conundrum: A drug hailed as a lifesaver for many people infected by HIV is at the heart of a rancorous debate among gay men, AIDS activists and health professionals over its potential for protecting uninfected men who engage in gay sex without using condoms.
Homophobia and MSM Health
Health4Men’s approach to homophobia and men who have sex with men (MSM)
Anal sex: Science’s last taboo
An almost entirely unreported study about anal sex and pain shows how little we really know about it
Rapid Changes Possible in Semen Viral Load, Study Finds
For people living with HIV, effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) not only suppresses the virus and protects immune system health but has the added benefit of reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to sex partners. This side benefit, known as “treatment as prevention,” has been established by recent studies with mixed-HIV-status couples.
Rapid Changes Possible in Semen Viral Load, Study Finds
For people living with HIV, effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) not only suppresses the virus and protects immune system health but has the added benefit of reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to sex partners. This side benefit, known as “treatment as prevention,” has been established by recent studies with mixed-HIV-status couples.
Nyaope declared an illegal drug
Prior to the act being amended, there were no laws in place to deal with new narcotics created by modifying a substance’s chemical structure, or finding chemicals with entirely different chemical structures that produced similar effects.
Launch of the 2012 South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence and Behaviour Survey Report
Stats released by the Human Sciences Research Council today show we are still deep in the trenches of HIV in South Africa. There are positive stories and the Minister’s promise to improve government-issued condoms is welcome. At DTHF we are advancing methods of HIV prevention and finding ways to initiate behaviour change especially among youth. This is no time for complacency or ‘HIV fatigue’, this is a campaign we have to win.
Beyond “Poz” and “Neg”: Five HIV Statuses, Plus a New One
To have a meaningful conversation about HIV status, people should corner intentions and sexual partners in the realm of actuality, by keeping it to-the-point and asking the following questions: “When did you last test for HIV? What was the test result?” Equally important is to open minds to reality by remembering that the time of binary HIV statuses is pretty much over.
I can count five HIV statuses, plus a new one. They entail different responsibilities, possibilities and risks.
New Antiretroviral Injection Shows 100% Protection Rate From HIV
Researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health have found that an injection of antiretroviral drugs can give 100 percent protection from HIV.
Monkeys were injected with the drugs in two separate trials, with protection lasting a month. However, research suggests that such an injection could last for up to three months, reports the New York Times.
Sluts, Stigma, and PrEP
When we talk about stigma and PrEP, the question we should be asking is, “Just what is it we are ashamed of?” Is it the sex? The gay sex? Or is it the realization that gay men find pleasure and fulfillment in anal sex and fluid exchange?
The catfish* on my couch
[kat-fish] verb:
Posting incorrect information online in order to create a falsely positive perception of yourself. *Wikipedia
Meth Is The Most Damaging Drug For Gay Men With HIV
A recent study of people with HIV who use recreational drugs isn’t good news for tweakers: those who used crystal meth showed troubling blood test results as compared to those who used other drugs.
Two in Five Gay Men ‘Serosort’ in an Attempt to Prevent HIV
A Seattle study has found that about 40 percent of HIV-negative gay men restrict their sexual partners to those they perceive to share their serostatus in an attempt to prevent acquiring the virus, aidsmap reports.
Truvada as PrEP Does Not Cause Kidney Damage, Study Suggests
Taking tenofovir/emtricitabine (Truvada) as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has little effect on kidney function, according to a study recently published in AIDS. The study, known as IPrEx (Iniciativa Profilaxis Pre-Exposicion), showed a very mild decrease in creatinine clearance (CrCl)—a measure of kidney function—among participants taking Truvada, but the change was reversible, as CrCl returned to baseline levels after the drug was discontinued at the end of the study.
Scientists May Have Discovered Way to Treat HIV Without Medications
The new technique uses genetic modification of cells — not drugs — to treat HIV.
HIV incidence at record high in young gay black men in southern USA
Lack of health insurance, incarceration and partner choice all implicated as causes
Injections Providing Protection Against AIDS in Monkeys, Studies Find
BOSTON — Researchers are reporting that injections of long-lasting AIDS drugs protected monkeys for weeks against infection, a finding that could lead to a major breakthrough in preventing the disease in humans.
Thanks To Twitter Social Media Has The Power To Detect HIV Outbreaks
A team of UCLA researchers have found that Twitter as well as other real-time social media tools can be extremely useful in tracking outbreaks of HIV and drug use
PrEP Topics Examined at CROI 2014
Among the many issues being discussed by the scientists, providers, and advocates gathered at the 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) Exit Disclaimer... Read More
No-one with an undetectable viral load transmits HIV in first 2 years of PARTNER study
Viral load suppression means risk of HIV transmission is ‘at most’ 4% during anal sex, but final results not due till 2017
Injections Providing Protection Against AIDS in Monkeys, Studies Find
BOSTON — Researchers are reporting that injections of long-lasting AIDS drugs protected monkeys for weeks against infection, a finding that could lead to a major breakthrough in preventing the disease in humans.
Battle against Uganda’s anti-homosexual law is not over
The battle against Uganda’s anti-homosexual law is not over. Health and HIV may be the new frontier to confront homophobia explains Dr Andrew Tucker.
Legitimising genocide?
Today’s signing of the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill by their President Yoweri Museveni represents a dark and tragic event in Africa’s history.
Innocent people’s freedom and lives are now in danger based purely on their sexuality.
The Anova Health Institute joins the international outcry against the Bill.
Ugandan Gay Activist Free To Live, Work in South Africa
Paul Semugoma is free and can live and work in South Africa. This followed a dramatic day of court action and negotiations between lawyers representing Semugoma and the Department of Home Affairs.
Ugandan Dr.Paul Semugoma, victory!
New development!
Court battle Ugandan gay doctor release
Human rights organisations worldwide are appealing to Minister Naledi Pandor and the Department of Home Affairs to immediately comply with a court order instructing that Ugandan doctor Paul Nsubuga Semugoma must be released from detention.
Immigration officials at OR Tambo International Airport have ignored an order delivered on Tuesday night by the South Gauteng High Court halting the imminent deportation of Dr Semugoma as well as ordering his release from custody.
STOP DEPORTATION OF UGANDAN DOCTOR
Dr Paul Nsubuga Semugoma, a Ugandan medical doctor and human rights activist, has been under arrest for the past 48 hours and is facing the threat of deportation to his country of birth.
A group of South African human rights organisations are urgently attempting to halt his deportation as Paul is “wanted” in Uganda for his activism around lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in his country.
Low CD4 despite viral suppression with HIV treatment and mortality risk
A low CD4 cell count is associated with increased mortality risk, even if people are taking virologically effective HIV therapy, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. People with incomplete CD4 count recovery – a count below 200 cells/mm3 – despite three years of treatment with virologic suppression had a more than two-fold increase in their mortality risk compared to people with more robust immune reconstitution.
Health4Men MSM Netball Tournament in Ekurhuleni
Lots of activities lined up for the day!
Netball, soccer, aerobics, dance or maybe just socialising!
Easing the way to Pleasure and Safety: Lubricant Safety and Access around the Globe
Lubricants have an unquestionably sensual function: to make sex feel better. People use a wide variety of substances to increase their pleasure during sex and to eliminate pain. In the global response to HIV among MSM, lubricants also serve an important function in the prevention of HIV transmission. Appropriate lubrication reduces the likelihood of condoms tearing and it reduces physical damage to the rectal lining during anal sex. But proper lubrication is in short supply globally, and we know little about the effect of lubricants on the rectal lining.
Marijuana May Stop The Spread Of HIV, Study Finds
Marijuana has long been used to effectively treat symptoms associated with HIV, such as chronic pain and weight loss. But a growing body of research suggests the plant may be able to stop the spread of the disease itself.
What ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ got wrong about the AIDS crisis
‘Tis the season for Oscar bait, and this year, “Dallas Buyers Club” looks set to get at least a few nominations. The movie stars Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof, a Dallas man who contracts HIV in 1985, when the diagnosis was a death sentence.
After responding poorly to AZT, the first drug approved to treat HIV/AIDS, Woodroof began acquiring unapproved medications from Mexico, Japan and other places around the world, and formed the titular “buyers club” to distribute them to other people in his area, whether the Food and Drug Administration liked it or not
Cocaine Gives HIV A HIGH(ly) Vulnerable Entry to Immune Cells
University of California (at Los Angeles AIDS Institute) researchers tested CD4 cells from healthy human donors to evaluate the rate of HIV infection alongside the presence of cocaine. And surprisingly, the white powered is not friendly to HIV-prevention.
Social networking smartphone applications and sexual health outcomes among men who have sex with men
Several smartphone applications (apps) designed to help men who have sex with men (MSM) find casual sexual partners have appeared on the market recently. Apps of this nature have the potential to impact sexual health and behavior by providing constant access to a large supply of available partners.
Anal Warts and all!
What if the warty frog you kissed didn’t turn into a handsome prince? In fact, what if the handsome prince that you did manage to kiss, gave YOU a wart! EEK! I know, right! Let’s take this frightening “Fairytale” a little further: What if that prince kissed you in your “no-no-special-place” (crotch area - stay with me people!) and gave you a wart there? Proceed to placing wrist to forehead, rolling eyes into the head and crumpling into a pale heap on the floor.
Nigeria needs more than Good Luck
In reaction to the recent passing of anti-gay legislation in Nigeria the Anova Health Institute NPC expresses alarm and trepidation at the resultant human rights consequences ensuing from such actions. Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute NPC, is gravely concerned by developments in Nigeria regarding the wide-spread impact on the progress made in the fight against HIV in those countries and elsewhere in Africa.
Men with penile HPV infection have an increased risk of acquiring HIV
Men with penile human papillomavirus (HPV) infection have an increased risk of acquiring HIV, investigators report in the online edition of AIDS. This increase in risk was irrespective of circumcision status.
“Our results indicate that HPV infection is an important risk factor for HIV acquisition in men that needs to be explored further and accounted for in HIV-prevention studies,” comment the authors.
The other side of the female condom
Female condoms are not just for the ladies as some gay men in KaMsogwaba Township outside Nelspruit have found, but nearby clinic nurses are still not sold on the idea.
While not originally designed for use in anal sex, female condoms can be used by men who have sex with men (MSM) during sex in lieu of traditional male condoms.
Health4Men’s Dr.Kevin Rebe speaks about MSM in South Africa on e-tv
Health4Men's Dr.Kevin Rebe speaks about MSM in South Africa on e-tv http://www.enca.com/media/video/webvideomsm20am
Above the rim
To some, rimming is not even a fetish; rather it is a regular part of their sexual practise. But if this occurs as commonly as social media and popular porn-sites would have us believe, then what are the risks of being a “rimmer” or a “rim-ee”?
Health4Men makes an impact at AIDS conference
ICASA is the largest international AIDS conference taking place in Africa and this year South Africa was selected to host the 17th ICASA which took place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 7 – 11 December, 2013.
With funding from PEPFAR through USAID, Health4Men has been establishing MSM competent services in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng and the Western Cape since 20008. Reaching more and more people, Health4Men has just received an additional grant from the Global Fund which will allow them to extend their specialised services into KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, Free State and the Northern Cape. Professor James McIntyre, CEO of the Anova Health Institute, says: “This significant development will allow for an integrated and co-ordinated national response to HIV among MSM in South Africa.”
Anova Health Institute NPC satellite session at ICASA 2013
An opportunity for policy makers, service providers and lobbyists to engage with current trends related to the provision of MSM-focused competent services.
Shebeen/Tavern Challenge 2013
What do shebeens (township taverns frequented by local residents in township areas) have in common with World Aids Day? Health4Men’s third Shebeen/Tavern challenge!
It is that time of the year again and this year there will be 8 shebeens participating from Khayelitsha and Gugulethu and 5 from Soweto.
So You Think You’re a Diva
“The time has come for you to lip sync for your LIFE!”
GRAUNCH
A deep kiss is a complex olfactory exchange of chemicals, hormones and proteins and a way for us to gauge how virile, or even what state of health our potential partners may be in because mucous membranes inside the mouth are permeable to hormones such as testosterone, which our clever bodies can detect. Subconsciously we build a profile on the person that we are kissing as we analyse the chemicals in their mouth in our own oral laboratory.
Soweto Pride
Health4Men will be at Soweto Pride on Saturday, 28 September 2013.
We will be providing free HIV screening and counselling or ask us for complimentary lube and condoms.
Why Are We Not Talking About PrEP?
Michael Lucas comes out as HIV-negative, sexually active man on PReP
- Q and A feature with Mmapaseka “Steve” Letsike
Mmapaseka “Steve” Letsike is the chairperson of the Civil Society Forum of the South African National AIDS Council (‘SANAC’) and is also the Advocacy and Training Manager for the NGO—Anova Health Institute. The Civil Society Forum was established in 2012 to strengthen the civil society sector’s participation within SANAC through the leadership and constituencies of 17 Civil Society Sectors.
A Mpumalanga Symposium on MSM
The conference will take place on 30 July 2013 and will bring together renowned speakers in this field and will focus on current topics pertaining to men who have sex with men.
Key populations: policy development and partnerships the way forward
South Africa’s National Strategic Plan (2012-2016) highlights the need for policy development related to so-called ‘key populations’ which include men who have sex with men (MSM), sex workers and people who inject drugs, in order to ensure that our responses to the HIV pandemic are inclusive of these populations.
Mpumalanga Men’s Study
New study reveals exceptionally high HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Mpumalanga, indicating an urgent need to improve services.
According to the Mpumalanga Men’s Study, gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in Mpumalanga are among the hardest hit by the HIV epidemic. HIV prevalence may be up to 30% among this high-risk group with large numbers of new infections occurring in the last 12 months.
Health4Men improves diagnosis and treatment of drug resistant gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection also referred to as “the drop” or “the clap”, is known to increase the risk of HIV transmission. With growing resistance to antibiotics, effective screening and treatment of gonorrhoea is becoming a priority among high-risk groups like men who have sex with men.
Concern is mounting that resistance is now developing to the antibiotic cefixime recommended by the South African Department of Health for treating gonococcal urethritis.
The sex with no name
It’s such a taboo topic that some doctors and nurses are uncomfortable talking about it. But it is practiced by both straight and gay couples, and children, and has huge health risks, especially when it is shrouded in silence.
South Africa: Stockout Risks of New ARV Programme
Until now, state-funded ARV treatment has comprised three different pills taken at different times during the day. The new FDA combines the three key agents from these pills in a single pill that only needs to be taken once a day.
Although welcoming the FDAs as easier and more convenient for patients, activists and health professionals alike have warned that a stockout of the drug could have a catastrophic effect on the country’s public HIV/AIDS treatment programme - the largest of its kind in the world.
Michael Ballack Farewell Game anouncement
The goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS, Michael Ballack has decided to use the platform of his official Farewell Game, which will be held in Germany on 5 June to raise funds and awareness on HIV and AIDS. The game will be internationally televised.
New training coordinator appointed
We are very happy to announce a new member to the Health4Men team. Hilary Twiggs has been appointed as a Health4Men Training Coordinator. Hilary has been a lecturer in nursing science at Stellenbosch University; she has very significant skills in terms of both training and nurse mentoring. She will be based at the Green Point office and will coordinate all training in the Western Cape, in addition to consulting for Health4Men’s training and mentoring programme nationally.
News from abroad: Lifting the ban on HIV positive organ donating
The Senate Heath Education and Pensions Committee in the USA have approved the HOPE Act, also known as the HIV Organ Policy Equity Act. The act would lift the federal ban on transplanting HIV positive organs to HIV positive recipients.
Health4Men at The Rec Room
Health4Men will be at The Rec Room on 25 April 2013 for the monthly HCT service from 18:00 to 21:00.
How To Survive A Plague
Health4Men is hosting this Oscar nominated film at the Out In Africa film festival which is taking place 12 to 21 April. “How To Survive A Plague” was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards and was nominated for and won numerous other awards.
Top2Btm MSM Symposium 2013
Save this date for Anova’s third annual Top2Btm MSM Symposium!
“Keeping Up: What’s trending with MSM?”
23 April 2013 @ Crowne Plaza Hotel, Rosebank
Health4Men support group dates for men living with HIV in Johannesburg
Please diarise the following dates for the Health4Men Support Group Meetings up to August!
Rape begets rape – SA’s brutal legacy
One in 10 South African men have been forced into sex by another man, according to a 2009 Medical Research Council study conducted among men between the ages of 18 and 49 in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Cape Town Pride 2013
Visit Health4Men at Cape Town Pride 2013 - Saturday, 2 March
Support groups for gay and bi men living with HIV
New support group in Johannesburg for gay and bi men living with HIV. Then a reminder that there are free support groups also available in Cape Town.
Drug-related harm reduction
In the field of sexual health, harm reduction is often closely associated with the use of recreational drugs. We certainly can’t stop people from using street drugs and instead of moralising about it and making drug users feel alienated, we need to implement programmes designed to mitigate the harm associated with this behaviour. Such harm reduction programmes are certainly not new – their importance is recognised by international bodies such as the WHO, UNAIDS and USAID – but they’re certainly new to South Africa. Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute, already at the forefront of providing innovative free sexual health services for gay and bisexual men, has initiated an innovative harm reduction programme in Cape Town.
Genetically Engineered, HIV-Resistant Cells: The Latest Breakthrough in HIV Gene Therapy
A new gene therapy could make a person’s CD4+ cells resistant to HIV—a method that, if successful, would eliminate the need for antiretroviral drugs for those living with HIV, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Quitting smoking reduces pneumonia risk in HIV patients
Bacterial pneumonia is one of the commonest and most serious infections occurring in people infected with HIV.
Ballack on the ball for Health4Men
Michael Ballack, star of the German national soccer team and a range of top teams from Kaiserslautern to Chelsea, visited the Health4Men clinic on Friday 18 January, just hours after landing at O R Tambo airport. Riaan Norval reports.
Health and maturing men
Everyone knows life doesn’t stop at 45, yet many people assume that sex does.
Never judge a cock by its feathers
Never judge a cock by its feathers
Gay Aids film gets Oscar nomination
The documentary How to Survive a Plague, chronicling American gay activists’ response to the early days of the HIV epidemic, has been nominated for Best Documentary at the 85th Academy Awards.
Princess Stephanie from Monaco visits Health4Men
On 6 December 2012, Princess Stephanie of Monaco visited various HIV/Aids organisations in Cape Town, including Health4Men, as part of her duties as a UN Aids Goodwill Ambassador.
World Aids Day winning shebeens announced
What do shebeens (township taverns frequented by local residents in township areas) have in common with World Aids Day? Plenty, according to the outreach staff at Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute that provides free sexual healthcare to men to have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa.
Genocidal developments in Uganda
Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute, expresses grave concern and foreboding regarding developments in Uganda pertaining to the ongoing persecution of gay people, and the criminalisation of homosexuality in that country.
The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill appropriately referred to as the Kill the Gays Bill in the media, is due for a second reading in Uganda’s parliament within days. This is happening within the context of the Speaker of that parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, stating that the bill will definitely be passed and describing it as a “Christmas gift” to Ugandans. It is ironic that the bill which allows for the death penalty on the grounds of sexual orientation was initially submitted by a fundamentalist Christian MP who was reportedly influenced by the irrational anti-gay views for a group of American Christian extremists.
Health services for gay men being expanded
Exciting news for gay, bisexual and straight men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa: Competent health services for MSM are being expanded in five provinces. This has been made possible by a significant five-year grant awarded to the Anova Health Institute by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID.
How would you describe yourself?
Labelling others is easy. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Clinic services over the festive period
Please note that all Health4Men clinical sites will remain operational on working days over the festive season.
Significant grant received
The Anova Health Institute, Health4Men’s parent body, has been awarded a significant five-year grant by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), via USAID.
New Fact Sheet Series Coming Soon
Health4Men has developed a brand new, comprehensive series of fact sheets specifically designed for MSM (men who have sex with men) and addresses sexual health. A total of 11 different fact sheets will soon be available. Watch this space for more details.
Red Ribbon Month - Cape Town
November is Red Ribbon Month. The Health4Men outreach team in Cape Town will be hosting three events in the lead up to World Aids Day on 1 December 2012.
SA antibody breakthrough ‘brings HIV vaccine closer’
SOUTH African scientists have discovered how some people can make potent antibodies capable of neutralising strains of HIV, taking researchers a step closer to developing a vaccine.
Join Health4Men on Twitter
To get the latest trending news and information from Health4Men, follow us on Twitter.
PRIDE month in Gauteng
Three pride events are lined up in September through to early October.
Health4Men will be attending all three pride calendar dates and MSM (men who have sex with men) will be able to get sexual health information from trained professionals, free lube and condoms and also make use of the free HIV screening (with counseling) services at all three events.
Global Female Condom Day
Starting on September 1st, the National Female Condom Coalition is counting down to the first ever Global Female Condom Day which will be on 12 September.
Read more about this global movement and find out how female condoms apply to MSM (men who have sex with men) and their sexual health.
Check your assumptions
We all make countless assumptions every day. We assume that in the morning the kettle and toaster will do their jobs, that the car will start or that our train will arrive at the station. We make assumptions about our partners, our family members, our colleagues and our friends, and about strangers. Our assumptions about our environment and the people around us are often based on nothing more than irrational notions, concepts, beliefs and attitudes which are very rarely based on fact.
Read more.
Top2Btm: Changing Manscapes Symposium
The AIDS Priorities symposium focusing on MSM will be held in
Cape Town on the 20 & 21 August 2012 at the Vineyard Hotel and Conference Centre
‘Cure’ research suggests new paths to HIV control
WASHINGTON — Three studies presented Thursday at a major world conference on AIDS show new ways that scientists are striving toward a cure for the three-decade-old disease.
One study focused on a group of 12 patients in France who began treatment on antiretroviral drugs within 10 weeks of becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus, but then stopped the therapy.
The HIV virus stayed away for a median of six years in the group, known as the Visconti Cohort, which stands for “Virological and Immunological Studies in CONtrollers after Treatment Interruption.”
Read more
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Top2Btm: Changing Manscapes
The AIDS Priorities symposium focusing on MSM will be held in Cape Town on 20 & 21 August 2012 at the Vineyard Hotel and Conference Centre.
Truvada® approved by the FDA for the prevention of HIV
The latest milestone in the 30-year battle against HIV, is Monday’s approval of Truvada® by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the prevention of HIV transmission. Truvada® is the first anti-retroviral (ARV) drug to gain approval as a preventive measure for healthy HIV negative people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity, such as those who have HIV-infected partners.
“OUT IN AFRICA FILM FESTIVAL 2012” (Part 2) is coming to the big screens again
Health4Men will be hosting the fabulous film “The Skinny”, in both Cape Town and Johannesburg at the festival.
Please come and support OUT IN AFRICA and Health4Men.
(CT & JHB Schedule below)
Have you experienced intimate partner violence?
Have you experienced intimate partner violence? Do you have a story to tell? This is a call for participants for a masters research project. The study is looking for gay men above the age of 18 who have experienced violence in a past relationship with another man. All information is treated in the strictest of confidence. Please email: research@yolan.co.za
Uganda bans 38 pro-gay groups
KAMPALA - Uganda said on Wednesday it was banning 38 non-governmental organisations it accuses of promoting homosexuality and recruiting children.
PARTICIPATE IN A STUDY ON RECREATIONAL DRUG USE
Health4Men is conducting an online survey on recreational drug use among gay and bisexual men. The organisation has received Dutch funding specifically to develop harm-reduction services for men who use recreational drugs.
Jury out on using ARV prophylaxis (Mail & Guardian)
South African guidelines for the preventative use of HIV medication by men who have sex with men who are not infected with the virus are to be published in the peer-reviewed academic publication, Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine, this month.
The treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep), consists of an antiretroviral (ARV) pill that is taken daily by HIV-negative people to lower their chances of becoming infected with the virus.
OUTRAGE AT MURDER OF GAY MAN
Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute, expresses outrage at the murder of a gay man in Kuruman, in Northern Cape province. Thapelo Makutle, a volunteer with a local gay organisation was gruesomely beheaded on Sunday 10 June after being confronted about his sexuality by his attackers.
This is clearly a hate crime on the basis of sexual identity and an extreme example of the ongoing prejudice and violence perpetuated against gay men in South Africa.
Health4Men does training in Uganda
We are all familiar with Uganda’s atrocious stance towards homosexuality, with repeated calls by that government to extend the death sentence to men who have sex with men. Health4Men was invited to train a group of healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, to provide competent services for such men.
Lubricants a potential risk factor
While consistent use of condoms remain your best defence against HIV and other sexually transmitted infection (STIs), evidence has emerged that some water-based lubricants may be harmful to your rectum. This applies equally to top-of-the-range, expensive imported brands and locally manufactured lubricants.
These findings emerged when researchers trying to develop rectal microbicides started poking around and asking questions about the effects of sexual lubricants on the mucosal lining of the rectum
Tik and HIV: A ticking time bomb
The Mail & Gaurdian has reported the latest findings on the street drug crystal methamhpetamine, known as tik, which increases the chance of men who have sex with men to contract HIV by 400%, according to a US study.
The global HIV crisis among MSM and transgender people
The Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) is sounding the alarm on the unprecedented HIV crisis facing gay men, other men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people around the world.
HIV programmes for MSM and transgendered people gradually being scaled up in India
In India, the HIV epidemic is seriously affecting men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgendered people. Among this population, 427 000 (in 2010) are considered at higher risk because they have multiple sex partners and many receive money in exchange for sex.
Health4Men goes to town: Anova introduces new sexual health service for men who have sex with men
Men who have sex with men (MSM) can now access specialised health care at the Yeoville clinic in central Johannesburg, including free and confidential HIV and STI screening and free treatment for men who test positive.
“The new Health4Men site is a significant development for all men who have sex with men residing in Johannesburg who have been unable to access to appropriate services within the public sector,” explains Prof James McIntyre, Executive Director of the Anova Health Institute. “Now these men have a space where they feel welcome and can be honest about their sexuality when interacting with medical staff.”
Cape Town goes big!
During May Health4Men erected a prominent billboard (3x6 meters) at the site C taxi rank in Khayelitsha, adjacent to Health4Men’s Khayeltisha Men’s Clinic.
Read more to see the final product.
Travel and HIV
For many people, travel is an important aspect of life. Some choose to benefit from the positive quality-of-life effects which come from participating in leisure travel. Others have to stay in foreign countries for long periods due to personal or professional reasons. It is important to know what your rights are and also if you might be faced with difficulty entering another country due to an HIV+ status.
Co-infection with hepatitis C increases mortality risk by 50% for patients with AIDS
Co-infection with hepatitis C increases the risk of death for patients with AIDS by 50%, according to the results of a large study published in the online edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases. A fifth of these deaths were attributable to liver-related causes, five times the rate seen in people with AIDS who were not co-infected.
The investigators also found that a third of co-infected patients were unaware of their hepatitis C infection.
PrEP acceptable to UK gay men, studies find
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) would be an acceptable HIV prevention strategy for large numbers of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in major UK cities, according to two studies presented to the British HIV Association (BHIVA) conference in Birmingham this week.
Gay partners’ HIV transmission study due to start, despite practical barriers
A large study looking at HIV infections in gay men who are within long-term relationships with HIV-positive partners is about to start in Australia, the International Microbicides Conference in Sydney heard last week.
Oral sex safe?
Even in the era of HIV and STIs imprinted in our consciousness it is surprising to learn how few people continue to practice oral sex without a second thought of possible health concerns.
Some guys don’t even view oral sex as ‘sex’ while others don’t see it as having potential health consequences. Although the risk of contracting HIV through oral sex is very low you should be careful. If you have a small cut, a blister or a sore in or around your mouth. Besides HIV, oral sex can result in the transmission of herpes, gonorrhoea, syphilis, hepatitis and (yes!) even genital warts. So what can you do to limit your risks of infection?
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTICE
Health notice to all gay and bi men in Cape Town: INCREASED SYPHILIS GOING AROUND! Health4Men has placed notices in all gay clubs and bars in the gay village area and provides free screenings plus treatment
Men of Action at Ekuphumleni
On 30 March 2012, Health4Men ambassadors and peer educators in Cape Town visited the Ekuphumleni Frail and Aged Care Centre in Gugulethu,NY1. These Health4Men representatives, offered their services for free to this community based centre. Over 35 MSM participated, in support of this initiative by performing various duties for Ekuphumleni.
Health4Men Netball Team at the Khayelitsha Oliver Tambo Indoor Sport Centre Opening
Health4Men attended the City of Cape Town’s Sport, Recreation and Amenities Department when it officially opened the Khayelitsha Oliver Tambo Indoor Sport Centre on Wednesday, 21 March 2012. The facility serves as a recreation hub for the local community.
South Africa leads United Nations on gay rights
In a victory both moral and diplomatic, South Africa took the lead this week during the first debate at the United Nations on the rights of sexual minorities.
Health4Men at Zola clinic - Opening
MEN who have sex with men (MSM) can now get specialised sexual health services at Soweto’s Zola Clinic.
The Anova Health Institute’s Health4Men initiative launched the service at the clinic on 6 March 2012
Health4Men At Cape Town Pride 2012
Health4Men were active participants again at the annual Cape Town Pride march that took place on 3 March 2012. The March took place on Somerset Road between Napier and Liddle.
Gay online encyclopaedia debuts
WikiQueer, a gay, bi and trans online encyclopaedia has launched publicly this week.
The wiki site began collating content after its soft-launch last year and has now gone live.
Over 30,000 Gaydar users opt in to STI notifications
Backers of a new service which asks online dating site users to opt-in to receive updates from former partners who are diagnosed with sexually transmitted infections have welcomed the take-up among the gay community.
How does recreational drug use affect HIV?
Recreational drug use can make people more likely to be infected by HIV. Also, for people taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs) to fight HIV, there can be some serious interactions between drugs and ARVs. These interactions can lead to under- or overdoses of ARVs or recreational drugs. Some of these may be fatal.
Health4Men Cape Town do it on the train
Health4Men Cape Town’s outreach team and peer educators, recently promoted the Ukwazana campaign on trains running between Cape Town and Khayelitsha.
TB Awareness Month
South Africa has the fourth-highest burden of TB (tuberculosis) in the world and also has the largest number of drug-resistant TB cases reported worldwide. Another big problem in South Africa is the high prevalence rate of TB and HIV co-infection. HIV seriously affects the immune system which escalates the risk of contracting TB.
The month of March is ‘TB Awareness Month’ - Read further and get more information on what you need to know about Tuberculosis
HIV and the risk of anal cancer
A local health orientated website reports that anal cancer rates are higher among people infected with HIV, according to new data published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The highest rates of anal cancer were found in HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM), but rates of anal cancer among HIV-positive men and women in general were also higher than rates in the general population.
Dr Kevin Rebe, the Specialist Medical Consultant at Ivan Tom’s Health4Men in Cape Town, comments on this article.
Bob takes a swipe at gays
ZIMBABWE’S President Robert Mugabe at the weekend told British Prime Minister David Cameron “to hell with you” over the prime minister’s call to respect gay rights.
SOME KIND OF INSANITY: Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe listens to speeches during his birthday rally in Mutare about, 26km east of the capital Harare. Mugabe turned 88 last Tuesday. PHOTO: REUTERS
Cameron said at the Commonwealth summit last year that countries receiving British aid should respect human rights, including gay rights.
Outreach success for STI/Condom Week
STI/Condom Week proved to be a very busy and productive week for Health4Men in both Gauteng and Western Cape.
Numerous events were scheduled in Khayelitsha, Soweto and other locations over the period 12-18 February 2012. Community events in Cape Town took place in association with the City of Cape Town Health Department, the Western Cape Department of Health and other non-profit organisations and included Site C taxi rank (Khayelitsha), Khayelitsha Mall and Kuyasa Men’s Clinic. Events included HIV testing drives, educational talks on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and condom distribution.
In Johannesburg, Health4Men took part in the Healthy Lifestyle Exhibition that was organized by the University of Johannesburg Campus Health Centre and Health4Men also went back to the Rec Room on Valentine’s Day for our monthly HCT service visit.
Famous faces can hurt efforts aimed at addressing HIV
In the wake of local actress Lesego Motsepe’s astonishing public announcement, a column in Tuesday’s (14 February 2012) The Times questions the value of using celeb power as a driver of causes and campaigns.
HPV Article
Human papillomavirus (also known as HPV or simply genital / anal warts) is the diarrhoea of sexually transmitted infections. It’s the most common of all STIs, yet gets the least press. Nobody wears coloured ribbons in aid of it or makes Oscar-winning movies about its victims. In fact, nobody even likes to talk about it, as I recently discovered at a dinner party when I mentioned that I was being treated for the virus. The conversation spluttered and jerked, then ground to a complete halt. I reckon I would have received a warmer response if I’d admitted that I shagged goats or was converting to Mormonism.
Disclosure and your rights
The Constitution of South Africa protects the rights of people living with HIV. It doesn’t allow discrimination and protects people’s right to privacy and confidentiality. In South Africa, there aren’t any laws that force people to tell others about their HIV status. People who do test positive should tell their partner, so that they can be protected and also have an HIV test. People with HIV/AIDS in South Africa are protected by the Bill of Rights and have the same rights which protect all citizens.
Health4Men achievements for 2011
Health4Men had a very busy and successful 2011. With the new year already on the move, we highlight a few key accomplishments during 2011.
What to look forward to in February 2012
Take a peek at what Health4Men has lined up for February!
•Latest developments include two new clinical sites for gay and bisexual men, in central Johannesburg and Soweto, supported by PEPFAR through USAID.
•A naughty surprise for the ‘Get REDi for love’ Valentine’s Day campaign.
•Health4Men in Cape Town is initiating a recreational drug-related harm reduction campaign.
A Reminder of Health4Men services
Health4Men is an innovative project of the Anova Health Institute (www.anovahealth.co.za) addressing MSM’s diverse sexual health needs through free medical and psychosocial services specifically designed for gay, bisexual and straight-identifying men who have sex with men.
Check out our services, extended hours, support groups, training courses and more nearest to you.
Shebeen and tavern challenge winners
On World AIDS Day 2011, Health4Men set a challenge to the taverns and shebeens that Health4Men gives support to. The challenge was to compete against each other, decorating their venues to commemorate World AIDS Day and bring about HIV awareness in their communities.
Health4Men Connect taps into cellphone technology
Health4Men’s ground-breaking mobi site provides access to important sexual health information specifically for MSM who may not have access to the Internet.
Condoms with a twist!
Positive response to black condoms: another innovative safer sex initiative by Health4Men.
Dr. Kevin Rebe on Radio 2000
Kevin Rebe talking Health4Men on Radio 2000 (97.2-100 FM nationwide) 5 December 2011 @ 19:30.
Clinic gave me second chance, says ex-addict
Heroin addict, cocaine addict, crystal methamphetamine (tik) addict, drug dealer, teenage prostitute, porn actor, HIV-positive by 15, TV star. You name it, Zack Smit has pretty much been there, done that.
‘Fighting A Double Stigma’
Working up the courage to discuss your sex life openly with a nurse or doctor at a hospital is challenging at the best of times. For men who have sex with men and transgender women, it’s simply too tough to contemplate…
Nigeria approves Bill criminalising gay marriage
Nigeria’s senate voted on Tuesday to criminalise gay marriage, instituting prison terms of more than a decade for violations in a nation where gays and lesbians already face discrimination and abuse.
Cape Town Slow?
The rest of South Africa is always of the opinion that Cape Town is the slow city. Check out what Health4Men in Cape Town is doing on World AIDS Day! Think again and come show your support!
Top2Btm Symposium on Health Care For Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) Conference Report
Until recently, African MSM have been under-researched and under-resourced, and this has contributed to their stigmatisation. Fortunately this deficiency has been recognised locally and a number of innovative programmes have been developed to address this.
Manhunt’s Bisexual and Gay Men’s National Sex Study
Who’s doing what to whom and how often!
Live positively with Positively Alive support group
Positively Alive has a new home!
Health4Men hits the club scene
The first Health4Men and Rec Room collaboration was a success. How did people react to HIV sreening in a gay sauna?
Gays (if celibate) can donate blood
Currently, South Africa has a six-month gap between sex and donation.
H4M addresses the sticky subject of STIs
H4M IN THE NEWS: Today’s edition of The Star featured extensive comment from Anova’s Dr. Michael Laurino who talked about unprotected sex and STIs.
Dr. Oscar talks about testing
Health4Men’s Dr. Oscar Radebe has spoken out on the benefits of regular HIV-testing in popular gay magazine Exit.
Breaking Barriers
Health4Men’s Ukwazana project held a sports day with a difference in Khayelitsha last Saturday. In an effort to eradicate stigma and discrimination against homosexuals, Health4Men hosted sports matches where gay, straight and bisexual people teamed up to play netball, soccer and volleyball.
H4M & HEARD publish new research on men and HIV
An article which appeared in the South African Journal of Psychology reports on how narratives in the Daily Sun tabloid which provide models of manhood could hobble HIV prevention.
Health4Men sheds light on PEP treatment
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS: Health4Men’s Dr. Michael Laurino explains the details of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) in a health-e article. The story is based on a study which found that PEP treatment is below par in the Limpopo and North West provinces.
Health4Men welcomes the WHO’s MSM and transgender guidelines
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS: PlusNews has published an online article on the WHO’s new HIV prevention and treatment guidelines for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people. The piece includes comment from key players in the area of MSM specific healthcare. Health4Men’s Dr. Kevin Rebe was among those who shared their opinions on the organisation’s guidelines.
Health4Men mentioned in article on male sex workers
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS: Anova’s Health4Men initiative has been mentioned in an article on the IRIN/PlusNews website, which looks at the plight of male sex workers in Africa.
Lessons gained from providing services to MSM
During the 5th South African AIDS Conference, held in Durban over the period of 7-10 June 2011, Anova Health Institute under the banner of Health4Men presented on the lessons learnt from these initiatives. This also includes developments in prevention, treatment and care, plus research and training of healthcare workers.
Saved by ‘township treatment’
The Simon Nkoli Centre for Men’s Health has once again been featured in the Mail&Guardian’s health supplement. The article takes on quite the personal approach as it tackles the issue of race relations and the ability to access treatment for those not falling within the vicinity of the men’s clinic. The article was written by Mia Malan and comes across as somewhat of a narrative piece relating the trials and tribulations of seeking treatment.
Private Problems: HIV-related care better in the public sector
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS: Anova doctors were consulted on the effects of the mismanagement of HIV treatment in the private sector in an article which appeared in this week’s Mail & Guardian.
MSM, HIV and mental health on the agenda
HEALTH4MEN RELATED NEWS: A Health-e article reports that mental health and HIV were established as key items on the MSM agenda at Anova’s Top2Btm symposium which ran for three days in Cape Town last week.
Qwelane will serve as an example
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS:Three years ago John Qwelane published a column featuring an illustration which depicted a goat and a man being united in holy matrimony. The column compared homosexuality to bestiality, claiming that allowing gay marriage meant that South African society was only a short step away from allowing human’s to marry animals.
Qwelane ruling gets the nod from Health4Men
Jon Qwelane was found guilty of hate speech by the Johannesburg Equality Court today after the former Sunday Sun columnist penned an article titled “Call me names, but gay is NOT okay”.
MSM need more than just biomedical interventions
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS: An article which appeared on the Plus News and African Press International websites, features comment on research which was presented at Anova’s Top2Btm symposium in Cape Town last week. Health4Men’s Glenn de Swardt was among those quoted.
DoH recognises MSMs
The next installment of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on HIV and AIDS is said to be more inclusive of the needs of the MSM community in South Africa. Health-e news service has highlighted these issues in a recent article posted on their website. The article takes a look at the importance of the Top2Btm Conference, held in Cape Town just over a week ago and the impact which relaying this kind of information has on the MSM community in general.
Health care sector unfriendly to gay men
The Top2Btm AIDS Priorities Conference has once again put MSM in the spotlight with an article published by Health-e journalist Khopotso Bodibe.
The article takes a look at the current and pressing issues of MSM trying to access health care and the negative effects that this has on the basic health care of such a marginalised group.
“These gays must just stop it.”
“Nothing I hate like homosexuals, the founders of AIDS!” “If they burn with sex desire why can’t they quench it with a woman?” These comments and more greeted an article posted on The Sowetan Live website. The story has attracted a considerable amount of negative comment, even though it was only jettisoned into cyberspace 45 minutes ago.
Make sexual minorities mainstream
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s scheduled appearance at Anova’s Top2Btm Symposium in Cape Town caused waves last week. An article in the Mail&Guardian argues that the minister’s presence at the MSM and HIV focused symposium, while commendable, could re-stigmatise men who have sex with men.
Call for more South African research into HIV prevalence and risk among men who have sex with men
Effectively responding to the high prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Africa requires more research.
This was the call of numerous speakers at the second day of the Top2Btm symposium where researchers, medical professionals and policy makers met to discuss treatment, prevention and care of HIV for MSM. The symposium is based in Cape Town and hosted by the Anova Health Institute with support from PEPFAR.
DOH renews commitment to address HIV prevalence among MSM
Speaking on behalf of Minister Aaron Motsoaledi at Monday evening’s opening of the Top2Btm symposium in Cape Town, Dr. Yogan Pillay, Chief Director of Strategic Planning at the National Department of Health emphasised the need for an HIV strategy that is “much more nuanced and targeted.”
The Minister was due to open the three day symposium dedicated to the sexual health of men who have sex with men (MSM), but was unable to attend and sent Pillay in his stead.
Reading the Minister’s speech, Pillay noted: “Even though the Strategic Plan mentions men who have sex with men, we certainly haven’t done enough to protect this group”.
Health-e article highlights key Issues raised at Top2Btm symposium
The Top2Btm Symposium, which is coordinated by Anova, is the subject of an article from the online health related news provider Health-e. The symposium which opened in Cape Town yesterday, focuses on various issues relating to MSM and HIV.
The article places the symposium in context through recalling the days when HIV was initially and erroneously labeled a ‘gay disease’ and consequently given the name GRID (Gay Related Immune Deficiency).
Anova Experts and Top2Btm Symposium in the News
Anova features prominently in an article in The Star that reports the findings of a PHRU and USCF collaborative study of men who have sex with men and HIV prevalence in Soweto.
The article features commentary from Anova’s executive director James McIntyre and David Motswagae of the Simon Nkoli Centre for Men’s Health. Based at the Chris Hani Baragwanth Hospital, the Simon Nkoli Center is run by Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute that specialises in providing sexual healthcare for men who have sex with men.
Alarming HIV-prevalence stats
HEALTH4MEN IN THE NEWS:An article in the Mail&Guardian (May 13-19 2011) by Yngve Sjolund takes a look at high prevalence rates of HIV positive MSM and gay black men in the Soweto township, with emphasis on Anova’s Health4Men project.
Health4Men caution Uganda’s anti-homosexuality threatens HIV prevention efforts
The controversial bill that includes a provision for the execution of homosexuals is being reviewed by the Ugandan parliament this week and may be voted into legislation shortly.
Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute, have established Africa’s first public sector clinics dedicated to the sexual health needs of men who have sex with men - irrespective of whether they identify as gay or straight. Through its clinics in Cape Town, Soweto, Pretoria and Mafikeng, Health4Men personnel offer comprehensive HIV and sexual health care for all MSM and have built a sound reputation providing training and technical support to the public health system.
Soweto Clinic Reaches Out To Men Who Have Sex With Men
FEATURE: Yngve Sjolund of CD4 Magazine and consultant for HIV/AIDS NGOs in writing and and editing research around HIV takes a look at the work and progress done by the Health4Men Simon Nkoli Centre for Mens Health Clinic in Soweto.
Get involved
Support Us Health4Men is a non-profit organisation, supported by PEPFAR and USAID. We are a project of Anova Health Institute, non-profit registrationnumber 2009 014103 08.... Read More
Our Partners
Health4Men is a project of the Anova Health Institute, funded by USAID and PEPFAR, and operates in partnership with the Department of Health. Direct health... Read More
Health4Men Centres
Our highly skilled team has been purposely selected based on their professional skill, experience in working with men’s sexual issues and their interest in the... Read More
Training of healthcare workers 2012
We would like to introduce you to Steve Letsike who has taken the role of Training Manager for Health4Men.
Plans are under way to commence training of healthcare workers in various provinces - Mpumalanga, Soweto and Bellville and Paarl in the Western Cape - to mention but a few.
Who are we?
Health4Men is an innovative project addressing men’s diverse sexual health needs through free medical and psychosocial services specifically designed for men. In particular, our services... Read More
Our Services
Our medical services include HIV and STI related services. HIV-related services: Screening: We provide free and confidential HIV screening in a discreet and relaxed environment.... Read More
Health4Men launches Ukwazana campaign
Health4Men have launched an innovative new campaign that caters to men who have sex with men in townships in the Cape Town area. This comes in reaction to survey results indicating that up to one third of men who have sex with men may be HIV positive.
Become an educator
Health4Men has established itself as the premier centre of expertise for gay men’s sexual health in South Africa.
Health4Men condemns murder of gay activist
PRESS RELEASE: Health4Men, a project of the Anova Health Institute and sponsored by USAID/PEPFAR, joins the international outcry in strongly condemning this act of brutality. Kato, an outspoken member of Sexual Minorities Uganda, was amongst the group of gay men whose identities were made public late last year in the extremist newspaper The Rolling Stone.
New office space for Health4Men
The Health4Men office in Green Point has moved to a more spacious venue. Still located within the “gay precinct”, the new address is as follows: 1st Floor, 24 Napier Street, Green Point (directly above Anatoli restaurant, just past Crew Bar).
