In-depth: ‘Access not excess’ key to reducing antibiotic resistance in SA

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Science

Antibiotics play a vital role in the management of bacterial infections, reducing illness, and preventing many deaths. A 2011 report from the UK estimated that they have increased life expectancy by 20 years. However, the extensive use of antibiotics has resulted in drug resistance that threatens to reverse their life-saving power and if the situation is not reversed, it has been estimated that by 2050 as many as 10 million people will die annually of drug-resistant infections. Tiyese Jeranji looks at how antimicrobial resistance plays out in South Africa and the role of pharmacists in the fight against it.

In-depth: ‘Access not excess’ key to reducing antibiotic resistance in SA

An open letter to us girls who still shoulder much of the HIV burden in South Africa

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest, SRHR

In an open letter to young women in South Africa, Faith Fikizolo reminds us that meaningful comprehensive sex education is an important lever in ensuring girls and young women are fully empowered to exercise their sexual and reproductive health rights. She argues that, due to the lack of meaningful sexuality education, many South African young women and girls lack bodily autonomy.

An open letter to us girls who still shoulder much of the HIV burden in South Africa

In-depth: The state of asthma in SA

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

Asthma is a disease that can be easily controlled through the correct use of medications, yet in many low-and-middle-income countries like South Africa, many still die due to lack of effective management of this disease. According to estimates from the Global Asthma Report 2022, South Africa ranks third out of 28 low-and-middle-income countries for asthma-related mortality. Elri Voigt unpacks the state of asthma in the country.

Testing stool can help detect TB in kids

Posted in: Edition 14: Tuberculosis, Edition 7: TB, Latest, TB

Diagnosing tuberculosis is difficult in people who struggle to cough up sputum samples – a particular problem in children and people living with HIV. One promising alternative to testing sputum is to test stool. Tiyese Jeranji unpacks the latest developments in this area.

Testing stool can help detect TB in kids

Experts call for better screening and treatment of TB during pregnancy

Posted in: Edition 7: TB, Latest, TB

Falling ill with tuberculosis (TB) can be challenging for anyone, but it can be especially hard if you are pregnant or have just given birth. Globally, TB is amongst the top five causes of death in women of childbearing age. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to experts about the risks, challenges, and ongoing studies on maternal TB.

Experts call for better screening and treatment of TB during pregnancy

Some in Free State only given ARVs for two weeks at a time

Posted in: Free State, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

While the Free State health department is denying that clinics in the province are experiencing stockouts of antiretroviral medicines, some healthcare users and HIV activists working in communities claim otherwise. The department does however acknowledge that some people are given only a two-week supply at a time. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Some in Free State only given ARVs for two weeks at a time

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

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.

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

First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

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.

First HIV prevention injection approved in SA

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.