Category — Public Service

We strongly support diabetes research on this site so wanted to share this: (BBC)

Tighter control of blood sugar levels in people with diabetes may cut their risk of heart problems, a study says.

From the Cambridge Study (30000 patients) just published in the British Lancet the following is observed:

Lead researcher Dr Kausik Ray said: “Previous studies have been inconclusive, leaving diabetics and their doctors unsure as to whether maintaining lower blood sugar levels actually benefited the patients.

“Although additional research needs to be conducted, our findings provide insight into the importance of improving glucose levels. However, this has to be done through lifestyle changes as well as medication.”

Results were fewer heart attacks and 15% less cardi-vascular desease.

South Africa has the dubious privilege of being the worlds most populous nation per capita to be infected with the HIV virus. For years the Mbeki regime decided to go against leading researchers and continuously questioned the connection between the HIV virus and it’s natural vulgar and deadly path to AIDS. They shunned anti retro viral (ARV) programs and rather advocated healthy diet as a remedy. There was recently a change with Mbeki leaving and his successor appointing a new Health Minister Barbara Hogan who fortunately has taken a different position and has started talking about taking a much more proactive stand against the disease.

All the major pharmaceutical companies have corporations in South Africa, the major charities, including Gates and Clinton are supplying funding and support to turn around the years of aids denialism in the country and get infected patients on to ARV’s.

Just in case you need more convincing the life expectancy is down to about 48 and this is what the CIA Factbook says about the population:

48,782,756
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

So what’s the point you may ask. Well today one of the largest provincial authorities (government funded) in the country announced that they we not taking on an new ARV treatment patients because they had run out of money – no they haven’t.

So when bureaucrat Elke de Witt says:

“Stocks must run out if you do not have money to replenish them.”

it is really time for Minister Hogan to get on a plane and take action to stop the carnage.

Money is available – They still don’t take the disease seriously.

Red ribbons on Olympic Stadium to inspire the response to AIDS in China and beyond

Chinese AIDS authorities, with the support of UNAIDS, today unveiled three giant red ribbons on the iconic National Stadium – colloquially known as ‘the Bird’s Nest’ – to mark World AIDS Day. The display illustrates China’s commitment to the AIDS response and in particular, to the fight against stigma and discrimination

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