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Editorial: World AIDS Day 2022 – Choice, convenience, and respect should be the cornerstone of SA’s HIV response

Editorial: World AIDS Day 2022 – Choice, convenience, and respect should be the cornerstone of SA’s HIV response

By Marcus Low,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

In Spotlight’s analysis of South Africa’s HIV response in recent years, two issues have stood out consistently – still too many people living with HIV are not taking antiretroviral therapy and the rate of new HIV infections in South Africa is not coming down fast enough. Accordingly, argues Spotlight editor Marcus Low, we must accelerate the shift toward an HIV response where we make testing for HIV and taking antiretroviral treatment as convenient as possible.

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First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

By Laura Lopez Gonzalez,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority has authorised an injection containing the antiretroviral cabotegravir for use to prevent HIV infection, according to drugmaker ViiV Healthcare. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports.

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Opinion:  Ending HIV/AIDS inequalities to achieve equity and end the epidemic

Opinion:  Ending HIV/AIDS inequalities to achieve equity and end the epidemic

By Rachel Toku-Appiah,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

As we look at the year ahead, urgent work remains to build on past successes and to bring the HIV epidemic sustainably under control. Amongst others, we need to address persistent stigma and discrimination, as well as the structural and social factors that put women and girls at increased risk of HIV infection, argues Rachel Toku-Appiah.

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In-depth: What should behaviour change efforts look like in the PrEP era?

In-depth: What should behaviour change efforts look like in the PrEP era?

By Thabo Molelekwa,
Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

HIV prevention pills are becoming more widely available in South Africa and the country is set to soon start piloting the use of an HIV prevention injection. But merely having these tools available in clinics and other places does not mean people will use them. Thabo Molelekwa asked several experts what behaviour change communications should look like in this new era of HIV prevention.

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Difficult conversations: How do you tell your child they have HIV?

Difficult conversations: How do you tell your child they have HIV?

By Biénne Huisman,
Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, SRHR

Telling a child that he or she is living with HIV is not easy. Biénne Huisman spoke to a father and some doctors on how one approaches the issue.

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Almost 40 years with HIV – from ‘dead man walking’ to HIV awareness champion

Almost 40 years with HIV – from ‘dead man walking’ to HIV awareness champion

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

On December 12, Ntimbwe Munongo Mpamba will celebrate his fortieth birthday with chocolate cake in Northgate, Johannesburg. He was born with HIV but only became aware of his HIV status many years later. Biénne Huisman spoke to him about living with HIV, his early years when his mother fed him medicine disguised as sweets, and now, living openly as an HIV awareness champion.

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Opinion: Keep an eye on quality as we rush to test people for HIV

Opinion: Keep an eye on quality as we rush to test people for HIV

By René Sparks,
Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

The theme for this year’s World AIDS Day is “Equalise and Integrate to End AIDS”. One aspect in which more equality is needed is between the quality of HIV testing services and aiming to test as many people as possible, argues René Sparks.

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KwaZulu-Natal doing well compared to other provinces but some health services still a challenge

KwaZulu-Natal doing well compared to other provinces but some health services still a challenge

By Nthusang Lefafa,
Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Provinces, Sex Work

KwaZulu-Natal clinics are outperforming facilities monitored in other provinces on various indicators and health services in the province have improved year-on-year, but some marginalised groups continue to have a hard time accessing healthcare services. This is according to the latest provincial report from community-led monitoring project Ritshidze. Nthusang Lefafa spoke to several NGOs about the findings and asked the province’s health department for their response.

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Pilot projects set to inform rollout of HIV prevention shot

Pilot projects set to inform rollout of HIV prevention shot

By Laura Lopez Gonzalez,
Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

South Africa is expected to begin piloting the HIV prevention injection early next year as one of several projects that experts hope will reveal the answers to some of the biggest questions about the future of the shot – who will deliver the injection, where, and how to sell people on the idea that just six shots a year could protect them from HIV. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports.

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Face to Face: Prof Helen Rees on SAHPRA, women’s rights, and her appetite for justice

Face to Face: Prof Helen Rees on SAHPRA, women’s rights, and her appetite for justice

By Biénne Huisman,
Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Reproductive Health

As a rebellious teenager growing up in the British town of Harpenden, Professor Helen Rees would sneak out to attend anti-apartheid talks. Today, she is a renowned scientist and chair of South Africa’s medicines regulator. Biénne Huisman chatted to Rees about her career, prioritising women’s reproductive health, and her role at the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority.

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SA expected to begin piloting HIV prevention shot in early 2023

SA expected to begin piloting HIV prevention shot in early 2023

By Laura Lopez Gonzalez,
Posted in: Access to Medicines, HIV/AIDS, Latest

South Africa is expected to begin piloting the every-other-month HIV prevention shot early next year, according to the international medicine financing initiative Unitaid. New modelling shows that the injection could prevent as many as 52 000 new HIV infections in the next two decades. But to be cost-effective in South Africa, the research argues, the price of the injection must fall to levels drugmaker ViiV Healthcare says are unrealistic. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports.

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In-depth: Major SAMRC study sheds light on causes of disease and death in SA

In-depth: Major SAMRC study sheds light on causes of disease and death in SA

By Nthusang Lefafa,
Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, TB

Unsafe sex, interpersonal violence, high body mass index, high systolic blood pressure, and alcohol consumption are the top risk factors for disease and death in South Africa, according to the Second Comparative Risk Assessment study conducted by the South African Medical Research Council’s Burden of Disease Research Unit. Nthusang Lefafa spoke to some of the researchers to unpack the findings.

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