In recent weeks, cystic fibrosis (CF) has been in the headlines because of a court case about access to new treatments for the genetic condition. After having reported on the court case, Catherine Tomlinson now unpacks how CF is diagnosed in South Africa and why so many cases here fall through the cracks. The good news, she reports, is that efforts are underway to establish a national infant screening programme.
South Africa is among the most unequal countries in the world with a huge quadruple burden of disease and to address this we need hands. Professor Parimalaranie Yogeswaran argues that we should maximise the untapped potential of clinical associates to beef up the clinical health workforce.
In 2019, the Department of Health started providing the antiretroviral drug dolutegravir as part of HIV treatment in the public sector. Three years later, close to 3.2 million people in South Africa are taking dolutegravir every day. Even so, the rollout of dolutegravir hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Elri Voigt investigates how the massive undertaking of switching millions of people to a new drug has gone.
Professor Koleka Mlisana is co-chair of South Africa’s COVID-19 Ministerial Advisory Committee. Ufrieda Ho interviewed her about her love of science, her career, and her role in the fight against COVID-19.
