#InTheSpotlight | Graphs that paint the picture of HIV in SA

#InTheSpotlight | Graphs that paint the picture of HIV in SA

Eight million people living with HIV. Just over 6 million on treatment. Behind these big numbers lurk a universe of fascinating epidemiological dynamics. In this special briefing, Spotlight editor Marcus Low unpacks what we know about the state of HIV in South Africa.

Read More

Missed, misunderstood, and deadly: A Cape Town family’s heartbreak with hepatitis B

Missed, misunderstood, and deadly: A Cape Town family’s heartbreak with hepatitis B

When Desmond Pedro discovered a strange hardness under his ribcage, he was just 30 and preparing for a fresh start on a government skills course. Little did he know that he would soon die of liver cancer caused by undetected hepatitis B. Sue Segar spent time with his family and spoke to experts to uncover how this overlooked virus continues to claim lives — and what can be done to stop it.

Read More

The current gonorrhoea meds might stop working – when will newer ones make it to SA?

The current gonorrhoea meds might stop working – when will newer ones make it to SA?

Two new antibiotics offer hope for people with gonorrhoea that is resistant to currently available drugs. Yet, it might be years before the people who need these medicines can get them. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks why these new antibiotics are important and what needs to happen before they can be used in South Africa.

Read More

Electronic death registration is a win-win for SA – let’s make it happen

Electronic death registration is a win-win for SA – let’s make it happen

Several studies have flagged problems with South Africa’s death registration processes. A critical first step to addressing it is to replace our paper-based process with an electronic one, argue Dr Pam Groenewald and Professor Debbie Bradshaw, both of the SAMRC’s Burden of Disease Research Unit.

Read More

Why most people in South Africa can’t get the shingles vaccine

Why most people in South Africa can’t get the shingles vaccine

The only shingles vaccine on the market in South Africa was discontinued last year. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some other countries, but has not yet been registered in South Africa, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through some hoops. Catherine Tomlinson reports.

Read More

Are children living with HIV being left behind? What the stats tell us

Are children living with HIV being left behind? What the stats tell us

Massive gains have been made in reducing new HIV infections and deaths in children. Yet, many of the statistics for children still look worse than those for adults. Elri Voigt asked experts why this is the case and what factors prevent children living with HIV from starting and staying on the treatment that can keep them healthy.

Read More

OPEN LETTER | Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, please explain the HIV numbers

OPEN LETTER | Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, please explain the HIV numbers

Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s recent claim that over half a million people have been newly started on HIV treatment in less than six months has raised eyebrows in health circles. In this open letter, Anna Grimsrud and Sibongile Tshabalala-Madhlala, associated with CHANGE – South Africa, ask the Minister to explain numbers that, on the face of it, seem contradictory.

Read More

He leads with heart and hustle at Groote Schuur but money is a big problem, says nursing boss

He leads with heart and hustle at Groote Schuur but money is a big problem, says nursing boss

Groote Schuur Hospital’s first male nursing manager, Aghmat Mohamed, reflects on the pressures of nursing in South Africa. Ahead of International Nurses Day and the release of a major global report on the state of nursing, Biénne Huisman chatted to him about his decades on the front lines of healthcare.

Read More

Why some babies in South Africa are still getting HIV

Why some babies in South Africa are still getting HIV

Over the last two decades, South Africa made massive progress in reducing transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies. Even so, about 7 000 babies still contract the virus every year. Experts put this down to having the right puzzle pieces for prevention but failing to integrate them optimally. Elna Schütz reports.

Read More

#Health4Sale | Tribunal orders controversial ambulance companies to pay back over half-a-billion rand

#Health4Sale | Tribunal orders controversial ambulance companies to pay back over half-a-billion rand

The Special Tribunal has ordered four ambulance companies run by Thapelo Buthelezi to pay back a total of over half-a-billion rand. The matter relates to contracts awarded by the Free State government, which were first reported on in Spotlight’s #Health4Sale series of investigative articles in 2018.

Read More

#InsideTheBox with Dr Andy Gray | Are clinical trial participants in South Africa protected?

#InsideTheBox with Dr Andy Gray | Are clinical trial participants in South Africa protected?

Clinical trial participants appear to be well protected in South Africa, particularly as the country’s guidelines recognise the risks of research with international collaborators. The sudden end of US-funded clinical trials, however, is exposing some limitations of ethics codes and guidelines, argues Dr Andy Gray.

Read More

US pulls funding for South African medical research

US pulls funding for South African medical research

US funding for clinical research in South Africa is incrementally being cancelled. This is happening through at least two processes – the first is by banning certain kinds of foreign grants called sub-awards (which is affecting everyone globally). The second is by failing to issue routine renewals of grants for clinical studies in South Africa. Spotlight and GroundUp break down the current situation.

Read More

1 2 3 46