HIV in Umkhanyakude: Impressive numbers, but living with HIV difficult amid socio-economic hardship

By Nomfundo Xolo, December 10, 2020

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Provinces

Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Sihle Zikhalala praised the Umkhanyakude District recently on its ‘exceptional’ figures in meeting the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. Yet, when Spotlight recently visited the Jozini area, we were confronted with a less rosy picture. Some people stopped their HIV treatment because they do not have food to eat, and activists now warn that the progress with the targets can be derailed if poverty, hunger and other social determinants of health are not urgently and comprehensively addressed. Nomfundo Xolo reports.

HIV in Umkhanyakude: Impressive numbers, but living with HIV difficult amid socio-economic hardship

Reimagining health in the Eastern Cape: As budgets shrink, it is more important than ever to strengthen primary healthcare

By Ektaa Deochand, Russell Rensburg and Daniel McLaren, December 9, 2020

Posted in: Child health, Eastern Cape, Edition 13: Eastern Cape Health, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 7: TB, Edition 8: NSP in general, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

As the final negotiations in the 2021 budget process unfold, the government of the Eastern Cape and the department of health in particular are being asked to do more with less. It is now more urgent than ever to strengthen public primary health care, argue Ektaa Deochand and Russell Rensburg.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy child health CHWs Clinics Community Health Care Workers doctors Eastern Cape EASTERN CAPE HEALTH equitable share featured health budget health resources HIV hospitals immunisation programme MTBPS nurses primary health care Public Health TB Ward Based Outreach Teams

Reimagining health in the Eastern Cape: As budgets shrink, it is more important than ever to strengthen primary healthcare

IN PICTURES: World AIDS Day in Soweto

By Denvor De Wee, December 2, 2020

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

On Tuesday South Africa commemorated World AIDS Day in Soweto under the theme: We’re in the together, Cheka Impilo. Spotlight photographer Denvor De Wee was there to capture the event in pictures.

Tags: AIDS Treatment Department of Health Deputy President David Mabuza Dr Zweli Mkhize featured Gauteng Department of Health HIV HIV/AIDS Premier David Makhura SANAC South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)TAC Treatment Action Campaign World AIDS Day 2020

Government can do better, Deputy President says at World AIDS Day event

By Ufrieda Ho, December 2, 2020

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

A high-level government delegation led by Deputy President David Mabuza descended on Soweto during a World AIDS Day commemoration. Ufrieda Ho reports.

Tags: 90-90-90-targets Clinics COVID-19 COVID-19 pandemic Department of Health Deputy President David Mabuza Dr Zweli Mkhize featured Gauteng Department of Health Health System HIV HIV programme HIV treatment HIV/AIDS Public Health SANAC South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)Stigma TAC TB Treatment Action Campaign UNAIDS World AIDS Day 2020

Government can do better, Deputy President says at World AIDS Day event

From the frontlines: 20 years of fighting HIV in Khayelitsha

By Siyabonga Kamnqa, December 1, 2020

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Two decades since Doctors without Borders (MSF) started its HIV programme in Khayelitsha, the organisation will start wrapping up its operations. Siyabonga Kamnqa spoke to some people living with HIV who benefitted from this programme and who now work as activists about developments over the last 20 years.

Tags: 90-90-90-targets Adherence guidelines for HIV condoms COVID-19 COVID-19 pandemic Department of Health Doctors without Borders featured HIV HIV counsellor HIV status HIV treatment HIV/AIDS MSF PMTCT PrEP safe sex Stigma TAC TB UNAIDS World AIDS Day 2020

From the frontlines: 20 years of fighting HIV in Khayelitsha

Opinion: Our data shows where Gauteng clinics are failing, government must help fix it

By Bellinda Setshogelo, Ndivhuwo Rambau, and Simphiwe Xaba, December 1, 2020

Posted in: Focus 2, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Too many clinics are in crisis and it is driving the continuing HIV epidemic. People are dying because of it, argue members of the Ritshidze Project as they launch a report into the state of public sector facilities in Gauteng.

Tags: Clinic monitoring Department of Health Drug stockouts featured Gauteng Health Department HIV HIV medicine Medicine Stock-outs Ritshidze Project Stop Stockouts Project UNAIDS World AIDS Day 2020

Opinion: Our data shows where Gauteng clinics are failing, government must help fix it

‘Welcome Back Service’ aims to help people get back on HIV treatment

By Tiyese Jeranji, December 1, 2020

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

While South Africa is doing well on some of the UNAIDS HIV targets for 2020, one target we are set to miss is ensuring that 90% of people diagnosed with HIV are on antiretroviral therapy. Partly in response to this problem, the ‘Welcome back’ campaign started by Doctors without Borders aims to make it easier for people who have stopped taking treatment to restart. Tiyese Jeranji reports.

Tags: 90-90-90-targets adherence clubs ARV treatment ARVs CCMDD programme Chronic Medicines COVID-19 COVID-19 response Department of Health featured HIV HIV response HIV testing services HIV treatment HIV/AIDS lockdown MSF SANAC Stigma TAC TB treatment adherence Welcome Back campaign World AIDS Day 2020

‘Welcome Back Service’ aims to help people get back on HIV treatment

WORLD AIDS DAY: How stigma is impacting the 90-90-90 goals

By Prof Linda-Gail Bekker, December 1, 2020

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

The HIV epidemic is far from over and we will not reach key UNAIDS targets and control HIV unless we end HIV-related stigma, argues Prof Linda-Gail Bekker.

Tags: 90-90-90-targets ARV treatment ARVs COVID-19 criminalisation of HIV Department of Health Desmond Tutu HIV Centre featured HIV HIV epidemic HIV infections HIV response HIV transmission HIV/AIDS key populations Linda-Gail Bekker NSP 2017 – 2022 reproductive health SRHR Stigma treatment adherence UNAIDS World Aids Day World AIDS Day 20202

WORLD AIDS DAY: How stigma is impacting the 90-90-90 goals

Opinion: When civil society can’t do its work, adherence to HIV treatment dips.

By Annah Maluleke and Solanga Milambo, November 30, 2020

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Limpopo, Provinces, SRHR

If South Africa is forced to go into a COVID-19 lockdown again, HIV support groups and adherence clubs should remain functional to make sure that everyone is supported, has regular access to information and treatment, and that people are motivated to adhere to treatment, argue Annah Maluleke and Solanga Milambo.

Tags: AIDS Councils ART ARV ARV treatment CCMDD programme Clinics COVID-19 COVID-19 response dolutegravir efavirenz featured HIV HIV programme Limpopo Department of Health lockdown NSP 2017 – 2022 people living with HIV PLWHIV South African National AIDS Council TAC treatment adherence viral suppression World Aids Day

Opinion: When civil society can’t do its work, adherence to HIV treatment dips.

New medicines should make life easier for kids living with HIV

By Tiyese Jeranji, November 30, 2020

Posted in: Child health, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

HIV medicines for children often taste bitter, pills are large, and for many children there is a lot of medication to take. This makes it hard to take treatment as prescribed. Tiyese Jeranji looks at the challenges with currently available HIV medicines for children, what innovations are in the pipeline, and how HIV treatment is being tailored to suit the needs of children.

Tags: 90-90-90-targets abacavir antiretrovirals ART adherence ARV treatment ARVs child health Cipla Department of Health dolutegravir featured HIV HIV epidemic Kaletra lamivudine Lopimune lopinavir/ritonavir syrup Maternal and Child Health Mother to Child transmission NSP REVIEW paediatric HIV Paediatric HIV prgramme PMTCT quadrimune Right to Care SAHPRA SANAC South African Health Products Authority South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)UNAIDS

New medicines should make life easier for kids living with HIV

Where are we in the race for a HIV vaccine?

By Kathryn Cleary, November 30, 2020

Posted in: Focus 2, HIV/AIDS, Latest

While progress in the race for effective COVID-19 vaccines has been rapid and impressive, an effective HIV vaccine remains elusive. As part of Spotlight’s World AIDS Day 2020 coverage, Kathryn Cleary asks two of South Africa’s top vaccine researchers to update us on where we are in the race for an HIV vaccine.

Tags: AMP antibodies ARVs BioNtech/Pfizer COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine Desmond Tutu HIV Centre ebola featured glycan shields HI virus HIV HIV Vaccine imbokodo immune response immune system immunogen Moderna MOSAICO mRNA PrEP SAMRC SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins vaccine development zika

Where are we in the race for a HIV vaccine?

Opinion: Why fixing South Africa’s patent laws is necessary in the fight against HIV

By Umunyana Rugege, November 27, 2020

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

In 2018, Cabinet adopted a new intellectual property policy for South Africa, but as yet the policy has not led to any change in the country’s patent laws. Amending these laws as soon as possible is critical to both the COVID-19 and HIV response, argues Umunyana Rugege.

Tags: access to medicine COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine featured Fix the patent laws Fix the Patent Laws Coalition (FTPL)HIV HIV Cure HIV epidemic HIV programme intellectual property IP Policy Patent laws Patents Act pharmaceuticals TB World Trade Organization WTO

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