Dolutegravir- why new does not automatically mean better
While the advantages of the new antiretroviral drug dolutegravir have been extensively reported, the potential disadvantages have received relatively little attention, says Dr Tom Boyles.
Let women decide whether they want to take dolutegravir
An important new antiretroviral medicine will soon become available to people living with HIV in various Sub-Saharan African countries. Unfortunately, many women might be denied access to this new drug due to an inability of regulators and health departments to see potential risks associated with the drug in the proper context.
AIDS2018: Reduction in price of bedaquiline welcome, but is it enough?
This week the price of bedaquiline in the public sector in South Africa was cut in half. What does this mean for the increased uptake of this critically important TB…
AIDS2018: Time to make AIDS political again
By Anele Yawa Two years ago, we welcomed the world to the International AIDS Conference [caption id="attachment_6568" align="alignright" width="300"] Anele Yawa at the Durban2016 march[/caption] in Durban, South Africa. At…
NHI Bill: Welcome but flawed
The People’s Health Movement South Africa (PHm-SA) are supportive of the principles that underpin the NHI, but they have several reservations about whether the NHI Bill can deliver universal health coverage. David Sanders & Louis Reynolds of PHM-SA explains.
8 key findings from new district health report
The Health Systems Trust last week published the latest edition of the District Health Barometer (DHB). The DHB provides a wealth of district, provincial and national level data on a wide variety of indicators. Below we have picked out eight interesting national-level findings.
Steps to consider when proving PrEP in higher-education institutions
1 October is set to become a memorable day in some higher-education institutions. It marks the day in 2017 that Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) was first rolled out at select campus health clinics as a new, highly effective HIV-prevention method.
The state of PrEP access in SA
Thuthukile Mbatha is a researcher at SECTION27, and an advocacy fellow for the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC). She runs an advocacy project that calls for access to Pre-Exposure Prophlylaxis (PrEP) for young women in higher education institutions.
Mental health and pill-taking: Getting beyond HIV
“A few weeks ago we lost Prudence Mbele, a beloved long-time activist living openly with HIV, who died of TB. Prudence was famous for her ‘pill holidays’ – a big no-no in HIV-land, as it leads to further immune damage. The idea of someone stopping their life-saving tablets – even temporarily – boggles the minds of most health providers. Her death triggered an intense media and Facebook/Twitter reaction, filled both with criticism at her choices as well as empathy, as people shared their own hard stories about taking antiretrovirals. Professor Francois Venter writes for Spotlight about the difficulties of taking pills for the rest of your life and dealing with the mental health issues relating to illness.
Modernising ART
By Dr Michelle Moorhouse – Antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa seems set for a revolution with a new drug combination that is highly effective and involves only one pill a day that is smaller than an aspirin. One of South Africa’s top HIV clinicians explains.
HIV docs win quack HIV gel case
The South Gauteng High Court this week ruled in favour of the SA HIV Clinicians Society in its legal battle with a doctor who promoted a product marketed as Dr Hugh’s Dermo Blue Pre-sex Protection Gel, which claimed to prevent HIV infection.
Fly by night tenders: A Spotlight special investigation into aeromedical service in South Africa
By Marcus Low and Ntsiki Mpulo – Aircraft have been used effectively to provide emergency medical services and to transport medical specialists and other supports services to deep rural and underserved areas in South Africa since 1960.