Cuts to United States funding of health research could have “catastrophic” consequences, says Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, who is at the helm of the country’s primary health research funder. He says the South African Medical Research Council is “heavily exposed” to the cuts, with around 28% of its budget coming from US federal agencies. Catherine Tomlinson reports.
The remarkable efficacy of new diabetes and weight loss medicines like Ozempic and Mounjaro have been one of the biggest health stories of recent years. Despite rising rates of diabetes and obesity, access to these medicines remain limited in South Africa. Catherine Tomlinson asks which of the GLP-1 agonists are available here and at what price.
A timely report on governance in South Africa’s healthcare sector released last year identified several serious shortcomings. As the political and administrative wheels again start turning in 2025, Elri Voigt unpacks the report and asks if government is paying attention.
Following President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend foreign aid, President Cyril Ramaphosa can display great leadership by meeting with leaders of wealthy countries and convincing them to increase spending to support the health systems of poorer countries, write Nathan Geffen and Marcus Low.
The bodily autonomy of young women and girls is under threat as Gauteng Health and Wellness MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko intends to make the contraceptive implanon compulsory for learners as long as their parents consent. This approach to addressing teenage pregnancy is misguided and unlawful, argues Khuselwa Dyantyi.
Whether or not the ANC and DA can find common ground on the future of medical schemes is set to be a major test of South Africa’s Government of National Unity. Ahead of a Cabinet lekgotla where the issue is expected to be on the agenda, momentum has been gathering behind a compromise option. Chris Bateman reports.
From the ongoing political and legal battles over NHI, to the far-reaching health impacts of political change in the United States, it is set to be another tumultuous year for healthcare in South Africa and around the globe. Here’s Spotlight’s top four healthcare questions for 2025.
In 2023, tuberculosis was again the top infectious disease killer on the planet, having temporarily been overtaken by COVID-19. Even so, investment in TB research is far below what United Nations agencies estimate is needed. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks a new report on global TB research funding, zooming in on the situation in South Africa.
From the NHI Act to major advances in HIV prevention, it has been another busy year in the world of healthcare. Spotlight editors Marcus Low and Adiel Ismail recap the year’s health developments and identify some key trends in fewer than 1 000 words.
Ukwanda, the isiXhosa word for “grow,” encapsulates the mission of Stellenbosch University’s Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health: nurturing healthcare in rural communities. At the centre’s annual community partnership event in Worcester, Sue Segar discovered how future healthcare professionals are stepping up to address the unique challenges of rural populations.
The Democratic Alliance intends to propose legislation that would allow healthcare professionals to do community service and internships in private hospitals. Such a legislative change risks exacerbating some of South Africa’s healthcare inequalities, argues Bulela Vava.
Though several South African companies are producing HIV and TB medicines, the active ingredients that go into these medicines are usually imported from India or China. Now, a local company is planning to break new ground by making the active ingredients for two important TB medicines in Pretoria. Catherine Tomlinson zooms in on the company’s efforts and outlines some of the obstacles to getting such local production off the ground.
