Latest
#InsideTheBox with Dr Andy Gray | Where are we on the road to more coherent cannabis regulation?
There has been much confusion and misunderstandings about how cannabis and associated products are regulated in South Africa, with government’s own missteps adding to the uncertainty. In his last #InsideTheBox column for the year, Dr Andy Gray clearly sets out the current legal and regulatory situation and where we’re heading.
New hope after shuttered Hillbrow transgender clinic finds new partner in state hospital
United States funding cuts shredded specialised services at a transgender clinic in the heart of Johannesburg. But a new collaborative initiative refuses to let this be the end of the journey for trans clients. Journalist Ufrieda Ho and photographer Thom Pierce meet some of the people at the forefront of the project.
Salim Abdool Karim | Transforming adversity into opportunity for the AIDS response
As World AIDS Day 2025 swings by, CAPRISA Director Professor Salim Abdool Karim reflects on the frantic days following this year’s unprecedented cuts to health aid and research funding from the US, arguing that the deliberate disruptiveness was designed to be cruel. Nonetheless, he argues, our HIV response must now forge ahead on a path that is more affordable, sustainable and independent.
TIMELINE | The journey of HIV through science, struggle, activism, and hope
From the first reported cases of HIV in 1981 to the latest breakthroughs in long-acting prevention, this Spotlight timeline traces key moments in the global and South African response to the virus. It highlights scientific milestones, political controversies, activism, and the human stories that shaped one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.
#InTheSpotlight | Why government should provide more free HIV self-tests
It is estimated that around half a million people living with HIV in South Africa don’t know they are living with the virus. One way to help these people is by offering them the means to test themselves in the privacy of their own homes. As Catherine Tomlinson explains in this #InTheSpotlight special briefing, such self-screening tests are part of our HIV response on paper, but in reality, the tests are massively underutilised.
#InTheSpotlight | Amid all the noise, how well is SA’s immunisation programme actually doing
Childhood immunisation programmes have saved many millions of lives and prevented much suffering. Yet, immunisation programmes have lost momentum over the last decade or so. In this #InTheSpotlight special briefing, Elri Voigt unpacks the available data and considers how immunisation efforts might be revitalised.
Integrating health services for mom and baby could reduce clinic visits by half
In South Africa, many mothers and their babies have to visit the clinic more than 10 times in the first six months of the postnatal period. Early findings from an ongoing implementation science project suggests we can get this down to five. The hope is that the new approach will also help reduce HIV transmission from mothers to their babies. Elri Voigt reports.
SA has relatively high anal cancer rates, but we rarely screen for it
South Africa has the world’s largest population of people living with HIV, which both heightens the risk of anal cancers and their severity. However, neither the collection of data nor the efforts for prevention and screening are in line with the likely impact. Experts say significant change is needed, reports Elna Schütz.
EDITORIAL | Spotlight launches new HIV dashboard
Spotlight has launched a new HIV dashboard and graph generator based on outputs from the Thembisa model. Our hope is that this dashboard will help the public and people working in healthcare to find important HIV numbers more easily. Please take a look and let us know what you think of it.
SA and Indonesia team up on massive asymptomatic TB study
Over the last decade, there’s been growing evidence that people can have TB without having any symptoms. But there is still much uncertainty over how such asymptomatic TB functions in the body and how infectious it is. An ambitious study, set to be conducted in South Africa and Indonesia, is trying to find some answers. Elri Voigt reports.
High hopes for major TB vaccine study recently launched in Paarl
The world desperately needs an effective TB vaccine to reduce the illness and death still being caused by the centuries’ old bacterium. Chris Bateman visited a study site in Paarl where a promising experimental TB vaccine is now being tested as part of a large multi-country clinical trial.
@UKZNCHS drug expert 💊 and senior lecturer in the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr Andy Gray, sets out the current legal and regulatory situation and where we are 🇿🇦 heading in this article: https://x.com/spotlightnsp/status/1996103676482736628?s=46
Prof Salim Abdool Karim: The Trump administration effectively dislocated the highly effective partnerships forged by the US and South African scientific communities over the past three decades. | @SpotlightNSP
With an injection under the skin every six months, lenacapavir was shown in clinical trials to be safe and nearly 100% effective at preventing HIV.
The first people in South Africa have received lenacapavir through real-world research led by @WitsRHI and Unitaid. This work will inform and complement national rollout plans in South Africa, planned to start in early 2026.
Learn more: https://ow.ly/GaZ050XBr1K
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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.