Analysis: SA close to meeting TB research funding targets, but most countries falling short

Analysis: SA close to meeting TB research funding targets, but most countries falling short

By Catherine Tomlinson,
Posted in: Latest, TB

South Africa is one of only six countries to ever meet their “fair share target” for funding tuberculosis (TB) research, according to a new report. In absolute terms however, South Africa’s contribution is small change compared to investments into TB research made by the top two contributors, the United States government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks what the report tells us about investment in TB research in South Africa.

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Interview: “I used that anger to feed my activist’s soul,” says former TAC General Secretary

Interview: “I used that anger to feed my activist’s soul,” says former TAC General Secretary

By Biénne Huisman,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

In 2001, at age 22, Vuyiseka Dubula-Majola joined the Treatment Action Campaign in its fight to bring antiretrovirals to South Africa. Today, she walks the streets of Geneva in Switzerland to get to her job as head of the Global Fund’s community, rights and gender department. Biénne Huisman spoke with Dubula-Majola about her remarkable journey, balancing activism with diplomacy, and the struggle “to build and regain the dignity of poor people around the globe”.

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Integrating HIV and NCD care is critical but not straight-forward, clinicians say

Integrating HIV and NCD care is critical but not straight-forward, clinicians say

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Focus 1, Focus 2, HIV/AIDS, Latest, NCDs

With the remarkable success of antiretroviral treatment people living with HIV in South Africa are generally living much longer than they did two decades ago. As a result, more people with HIV are also now living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. Accordingly, the need to better integrate HIV and NCD services was a hot topic at the recent Southern African HIV Clinicians Society conference in Cape Town. Elri Voigt reports.

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Opinion: SA can’t afford proposed cuts to HIV funding

Opinion: SA can’t afford proposed cuts to HIV funding

By Matshidiso Lencoasa and Mila Harding,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

National Treasury has proposed a R1 billion cut to HIV funding. This has come about because – rather than seeing the reduced price of antiretroviral treatment as an opportunity to scale up treatment coverage and strengthen other interventions to address the HIV epidemic – the Department of Health has seen it as an opportunity for cost-containment. However, the HIV epidemic is not over and savings owing to cost reductions should not simply be returned to Treasury, argue Matshidiso Lencoasa and Mila Harding.

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Interview: From a pig farm in Zim to star HIV researcher- Prof LGB reflects on her remarkable journey

Interview: From a pig farm in Zim to star HIV researcher- Prof LGB reflects on her remarkable journey

By Biénne Huisman,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Inside Professor Linda-Gail Bekker’s office a bookshelf is stacked with titles on general medicine, HIV and tuberculosis. Against the bookshelf, a mannequin leans dressed in a white doctor’s coat, sparkling tiara and pink Venetian mask, with a stethoscope protruding from her pocket. Known to colleagues as LGB, Bekker is one of South Africa’s top HIV researchers. Biénne Huisman chatted to Bekker about her remarkable career, finding new ways to reach young people, her love of both art and science and the thinking behind the slogan “get ripped, get prepped”.

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Analysis: Amid budget constraints, tough choices for SA’s HIV response

Analysis: Amid budget constraints, tough choices for SA’s HIV response

By Catherine Tomlinson,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Around 13% of South Africa’s population are living with HIV and the country has the world’s largest HIV treatment programme. The country’s finances are however under huge pressure and significant cuts were recently announced to government’s HIV budget. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks what a new HIV Investment Case can tell us about the possible paths forward.

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Lead poisoning part 2: Scientists find toxic metals in kitchenware

Lead poisoning part 2: Scientists find toxic metals in kitchenware

By Jesse Copelyn,
Posted in: Latest

In part one of this Spotlight special series on lead poisoning, Jesse Copelyn explored new research suggesting that lead exposure is far more damaging to cardiovascular health than previously estimated. In part two, he takes a look at the sources of lead poisoning in South Africa, where the metal has been found in products ranging from cooking pots to serving plates.

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Antibiotic slashes risk of drug-resistant TB in kids, finds major SA study

Antibiotic slashes risk of drug-resistant TB in kids, finds major SA study

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Latest, TB

Tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy has been transformed in recent years, with treatment duration having been cut from six or more months to just three or one. Progress in developing new treatments to prevent drug-resistant forms of TB has however lagged behind, especially in children. Elri Voigt unpacks findings from a major new TB prevention study presented at the Union World Conference on Lung Health last week and plans for another important preventive therapy trial set to start soon.

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Funding shortfall and poor roads to blame for ambulance woes, says Eastern Cape Health Dept

Funding shortfall and poor roads to blame for ambulance woes, says Eastern Cape Health Dept

By Luvuyo Mehlwana,
Posted in: Eastern Cape, Latest

Some residents in the Eastern Cape have been left frustrated by delays or outright lack of response by Emergency Medical Services in the province. This is in part caused by a chronic shortage of ambulances and paramedics. Recent labour disputes have further complicated the situation. Luvuyo Mehlwana reports.

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Interview: “Someone had to do it”, says SA TB activist on Time 100 list

Interview: “Someone had to do it”, says SA TB activist on Time 100 list

By Sue Segar,
Posted in: Latest, TB

At the age of 19 Phumeza Tisile contracted multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. For four years she battled the disease, losing her hearing in the process. At one stage, a doctor told her to visit a priest and prepare her soul for death. Recently, Tisile (now 33) made it on to TIME magazine’s 2023 TIME100 Next list, as one of 100 emerging leaders round the world who are “shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership”. Sue Segar chatted to Tisile about her remarkable journey.

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In-depth: What is behind the shocking number of deaths linked to lead poisoning?

In-depth: What is behind the shocking number of deaths linked to lead poisoning?

By Jesse Copelyn,
Posted in: Latest

Evidence suggests that even the tiniest amount of lead is detrimental to our health – and that’s bad news for people in South Africa, who are exposed to large amounts of the metal. Jesse Copelyn explores why lead does so much damage to the brain and heart, and why scientists keep finding it’s worse than we’d previously thought.

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In-depth: SA’s remarkable TB clinical trial capacity

In-depth: SA’s remarkable TB clinical trial capacity

By Tiyese Jeranji,
Posted in: Latest

Several of the world’s most important tuberculosis clinical trials of the last two decades were done in part or entirely in South Africa. Tiyese Jeranji chatted to some leading researchers about where the country’s clinical trial capacity comes from and what is needed to maintain and improve it.

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