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Pretoria company aims to lead SA in making key TB drug ingredients
Though several South African companies are producing HIV and TB medicines, the active ingredients that go into these medicines are usually imported from India or China. Now, a local company is planning to break new ground by making the active ingredients for two important TB medicines in Pretoria. Catherine Tomlinson zooms in on the company’s efforts and outlines some of the obstacles to getting such local production off the ground.
South Africa’s AIDS response: Progress, challenges, and opportunities
Ahead of World AIDS Day 2024, Professor Salim Abdool Karim and Dr Nikita Devnarain argue that South Africa needs a concerted effort to reduce new HIV infections in young women and to prepare for the rollout of long-acting forms of HIV prevention alongside a well-functioning HIV treatment programme.
Where in SA someone lives determines how many ARVs they get at a time
Whether or not someone living with HIV in South Africa gets a one- or three-months’ supply of antiretrovirals at a time depends partly on the clinic where they happen to go for HIV care. Ahead of World AIDS Day 2024, Elri Voigt unpacks the legal and policy issues relating to prescriptions and HIV medicine refills and asks why people living with HIV are treated so differently in different parts of the country.
Why the fuss about long-acting antiretrovirals for HIV?
HIV prevention injections that can provide two, or even six, months of protection per shot have arguably been the biggest HIV story of the year. Ahead of World AIDS Day, Professor Francois Venter assesses the state of play and the critical next steps with these potentially game-changing new tools in the fight against HIV.
The high cost of having too few pharmacists in SA
It’s acknowledged in key policy documents, well known at the coalface and much ventilated in the media: South Africa’s public healthcare system has too few healthcare workers, especially medical doctors, certain specialists, and theatre nurses. Less recognised however is the shortage of public sector pharmacists. Chris Bateman lifts the lid on this until now largely hidden problem – and its impact.
Why including pregnant women in a TB study in SA was a big deal
Pregnant women are typically excluded from clinical trials of new TB medicines. This has led to a lack of solid scientific evidence on how best to treat women who fall ill with TB while they are expecting. Tiyese Jeranji asked local TB experts about the problem and puts the spotlight on a recent study that broke the mould by opening its doors to pregnant women.
Why the Competition Commission’s decision on two cancer medicine cases could have much wider implications
There is a history of competition law being used to drive HIV medicine prices lower in South Africa. Now, two cases involving cancer medicines seem set to nail down what qualifies as “excessive pricing” in South African law – a legal development that could have far reaching implications for medicines prices in the country. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks the details.
#InTheSpotlight | Where are we in the search for an HIV cure?
Highly effective treatments for HIV have existed since the mid-1990s. But while these treatments keep people healthy, we do not yet have a safe and scalable way to completely rid the body of the virus. In this Spotlight special briefing, Elri Voigt takes stock of where we are in the decades-long search for an HIV cure.
Women in SA could have access to a three-monthly HIV prevention ring by 2026
A flexible silicone ring that slowly releases antiretrovirals is one of just two long-acting HIV prevention products registered for use in South Africa. Results from a new study might pave the way for a longer-acting version of the vaginal ring that provides three months of protection at a time, as opposed to one month with the current ring. Elri Voigt reports on these findings and looks at how the one-month ring has influenced HIV prevention choices in South Africa.
Growing the beta variant – young scientist remembers the day they danced in the lab
During South Africa’s COVID-19 hard lockdown, rising star scientist Dr Sandile Cele spent his Christmas holidays in a laboratory. Soon the 35-year-old became the first to successfully grow the beta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the lab. Biénne Huisman spoke to Cele about how he did this, the string of accolades he received since, and his leap from a modest upbringing to the global scientific stage.
South Africa has gotten tantalisingly close to the 2025 treatment targets. But it still has a long way to go to achieve the 2030 SDG goal for AIDS. | @SpotlightNSP
Several opposition politicians and commentators have flagged what appears to be chronic leadership problems at the Gauteng Department of Health. | @SpotlightNSP
The strategy signed off in June this year references studies done in South Africa on oral cancers found that 90% of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas. Oral squamous cell carcinoma is mainly found in men who smoke and drink alcohol.
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Episode 1: Sexual and reproductive health rights
Aug 23, 2018 • 23:42
In this first episode of the Spotlight podcast host Nomatter Ndebele speaks to Dr Daphney Conco of Wits about what SRHR is and why it matters. We also hear from Vuyokazi Gonyela of TAC about their SRHR work in provinces. Finally, Nomatter chats to Spotlight guest editor Thuthu Mbatha about…
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Episode 2: Life Esidimeni revisited
Aug 28, 2018 • 1:00:42
In episode 2 we catch up with the processes around the Life Esidimeni tragedy. Christine Nxumalo discusses what further action the families are hoping for. Tendai Mafuma provides fascinating insights into the prospects for criminal liability. Mark Heywood gives his views on the politics surrounding the case and what that…
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Episode 3: Sasha Stevenson on what NHI and HMI means for healthcare reform in South Africa
Oct 5, 2018 • 00:18:53
At a recent civil society meeting jointly hosted by SECTION27 and Spotlight, Sasha Stevenson, head of health at SECTION27, presented on the implications of NHI and HMI for access to healthcare in South Africa. We now make her informative and thought-provoking presentation available as a podcast. (We apologise for the…
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Episode 4: Marijuana, health and the law in South Africa
Dec 7, 2018 • 18:41
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Dr Michael Herbst of the Cancer Association of South Africa about the landmark Constitutional Court judgement on the possession and use of marijuana and the judgement’s implications for the health of people in South Africa.
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Episode 5: Dr Fareed Abdullah on South Africa’s AIDS response
Dec 14, 2018 • 22:26
Dr Fareed Abdullah of the SA MRC, previously CEO of SANAC, recently addressed the TAC’s 20-year celebrations. Listen what he had to say about the history of South Africa’s AIDS response and where we are now.
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Episode 6: Justice Edwin Cameron addresses the TAC 20-year celebrations
Dec 14, 2018 • 13:14
Justice Edwin Cameron of South Africa’s Constitutional Court recently addressed attendees at the TAC’s 20-year celebrations. We bring you a recording of what he had to say to TAC members, supporters and allies.
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Episode 7: Lotti Rutter on PEPFAR funding and why we need a People’s COP
Jul 25, 2019 • 24:10
Nomatter Ndebele chats to Lotti Rutter of HealthGAP about what the People’s COP is and why it matters.
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Episode 8: How South Africa is performing against key NSP indicators
Jul 25, 2019 • 19:30
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Spotlight editor Marcus Low about South Africa’s progress against key NSP indicators.
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Episode 9: Rensburg on healthcare reform in South Africa
Jul 25, 2019 • 27:36
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to RHAP director Russell Rensburg about the major reforms underway in the South African healthcare system.
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Episode 10: Siphiwe Mhlangana on the Treatment Action Campaign’s treatment literacy work
Jul 25, 2019 • 21:15
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Siphiwe Mhlangana of the TAC about his treatment literacy work and why treatment literacy still matters.
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