Opinion: WHO numbers underscore urgent need for stronger leadership and ambitious TB recovery plan

By Zameer Brey, Marcus Low, Yogan Pillay and Ingrid Schoeman, October 20, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 14: Tuberculosis, Edition 7: TB, Latest, TB, TB Response

According to new estimates from the World Health Organization around 61 000 people died of TB in South Africa in 2020, an increase of around 5% over 2019. That works out to over 1 100 TB deaths in the country every week. We urgently need a transparent TB recovery plan and we need both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Joe Phaahla to invest real political capital in the implementation of the plan, the authors argue.

Opinion: WHO numbers underscore urgent need for stronger leadership and ambitious TB recovery plan

In-depth: Landmark moment as AI beats humans in reading X-rays for TB

By Tiyese Jeranji and Marcus Low, October 14, 2021

Posted in: Latest, TB, TB Response

“The results are in: artificial intelligence (AI) outperforms humans at reading chest X-rays for signs of tuberculosis,” proclaimed a recent newsletter of the Stop TB Partnership. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to a variety of experts about the landmark study behind this proclamation and asked what AI-aided X-ray interpretation may mean for countries like South Africa with high TB burdens.

Tags: chest x-rays computer-aided detection systems Department of Health Division of Pulmonology featured HIV lung health National TB Prevalence Survey SAHPRA South African Health Products Authority South African Medical Research Council sputum-based testing TB TB bacterial load TB diagnosis TB response TB screening TB testing tuberculosis

In-depth: Landmark moment as AI beats humans in reading X-rays for TB

Opinion: The over-criminalisation of HIV transmission does more harm than good

By Sibusisiwe Ndlela, October 8, 2021

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Although it is necessary for the criminal justice system to prohibit and punish conduct that is harmful to the public interest, criminalising exposure to or transmission of HIV goes against important public health principles, writes Sibusisiwe Ndlela.

Tags: criminalisation of HIV Department of Health featured Guidance for Prosecutors on HIV-related cases HIV HIV exposure HIV Prevention HIV status HIV transmission HIV treatment HIV-specific laws Public Health viral loads

Opinion: The over-criminalisation of HIV transmission does more harm than good

Eastern Cape health services hamstrung by staff and medicine shortages, report finds

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, September 29, 2021

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

Findings of a clinic monitoring report released last week, again highlighted how delivery of health services in the Eastern Cape are hamstrung by staff and medicine shortages. Luvuyo Mehlwana unpacks the data and the provincial health department’s plans to address the challenges identified in the report.

Tags: access to healthcare access to medicine ART ARVs CCMDD programme Clinic monitoring clinical staff Community Health Care Workers contraceptives Eastern Cape Department of Health featured health budgets health workers HIV HIV programme Nomakhosazana Meth primary health care primary health facilities public health facilities Ritshidze Project Rolene Wagner stockouts TB Treatment Action Campaign

Eastern Cape health services hamstrung by staff and medicine shortages, report finds

In-depth: The incredibly long wait for gender-affirming surgery for those who can’t pay

By Tiyese Jeranji, September 14, 2021

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, SRHR

Already very long waiting times for gender-affirming surgery in South Africa’s public sector have gotten even longer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Tiyese Jeranji investigates the challenges transgender persons in the country face in accessing gender-affirming care.

Tags: access to healthcare cisgender Council for Medical Schemes (CMS)Department of Health Discovery featured Gender Dynamix gender dysphoria Gender Identity Development Services gender-affirming surgery Groote Schuur Hospital HIV hormone therapy Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Asexual Plus (LGBTQIA+)mental health minority stress National Strategic Plan for HIV PMBs Prescribed Minimum Benefits Red Cross Children's Hospital SANAC South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)Trans and Gender Diverse persons transgender kids

In-depth: The incredibly long wait for gender-affirming surgery for those who can’t pay

Editorial: HIV prevention injection should be fast-tracked like COVID-19 vaccines

By Marcus Low, September 9, 2021

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Findings of two large phase III clinical trials first presented in 2020 showed a new HIV prevention injection to be highly effective. Yet, experts expect that the injection will only reach clinics in late 2022 or early 2023. If the rhetoric about bringing the urgency of COVID-19 to HIV is to mean anything, these timelines should be made shorter.

Tags: antiretroviral medicines antiretroviral treatment CAB LA HIV cabotegravir COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine Department of Health featured HIV HIV Prevention HIV response National Essential Medicines List Committee SAHPRA South African Health Products Regulatory Authority

Editorial: HIV prevention injection should be fast-tracked like COVID-19 vaccines

In-depth: What will it take to bring HIV prevention injections to SA’s clinics?

By Catherine Tomlinson, September 1, 2021

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

An antiretroviral injection administered every two months has been shown to be highly effective in preventing people from getting HIV in two large trials. Catherine Tomlinson asks what needs to happen before these injections become available to people in South Africa.

Tags: ART CAB LA HIV cabotegravir Clinics Clinton Health Access Initiative dapivirine vaginal ring Department of Health dolutegravir featured health budget HIV HIV Prevention intimate partner violence PrEP PrEP rollout SAHPRA South African Health Products Regulatory Authority Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Treatment Action Campaign Wits Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office

In-depth: What will it take to bring HIV prevention injections to SA’s clinics?

Research round-up: 7 new HIV prevention options in the pipeline

By Elri Voigt, August 27, 2021

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

One of the most vibrant areas of HIV research these days is the search for new, more convenient ways to use antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) to prevent HIV infection. Elri Voigt rounds up the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) research presented at the recent International AIDS Society Conference, including a biodegradable antiretroviral implant.

Tags: 2021 International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science cabotegravir Dapivirine featured HIV HIV infection HIV Prevention infectious diseases International AIDS Vaccine Initiative Microbicide Trial Network Polymeric Solid Implants Pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP reproductive health tenofovir disoproxil fumarate The Initiative for Multipurpose Prevention Technologies Vaginal ring World Health Organization

Research round-up: 7 new HIV prevention options in the pipeline

Women in Health: Young TB researcher blazing a trail

By Tiyese Jeranji, August 12, 2021

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

For Dr Caroline Pule, a biomedical scientist working in tuberculosis (TB) research, her passion for finding answers that can help ease the suffering caused by diseases such as TB started with a promise she wrote in her diary when she was 13 years old. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to Pule about following her dream of saving lives and teaching young girls to believe in possibilities.

Tags: biomedical scientist DRUG-RESISTANT TB featured HIV Marie Curie Spotlight on Women in Health TB TB prevalence TB surgery TB-related deaths TB-related lung cavities tuberculosis

Women in Health: Young TB researcher blazing a trail

Women in health: Mlisana on science and co-chairing SA’s COVID-19 MAC

By Ufrieda Ho, August 9, 2021

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

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.

Tags: AIDS Denialism clinicians Department of Health doctors featured HIV HIV/AIDS Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19 Vaccines Professor Koleka Mlisana Spotlight on Women in Health transformation of the healthsector Women in Health

Women in health: Mlisana on science and co-chairing SA’s COVID-19 MAC

COVID-19 and HIV: What we can learn from a new WHO report

By Laura Owings, August 5, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, Latest

The risk of developing severe or fatal COVID-19 is 30% greater in people living with HIV compared to those who are HIV negative, according to a new report from the World Health Organization. Comprised of data from 37 countries, including South Africa, the report suggests people living with HIV should be prioritised for vaccination. Laura Owings reports.

Tags: antiretroviral treatment ART Centre for Infectious Diseases Epidemiology and Research COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccination COVID-19 vaccine COVID-19 vaccine programme Department of Health featured HIV HIV testing immune-suppressed infectious diseases KRISP people living with HIV Thembisa model UNAIDS World Health Organization

COVID-19 and HIV: What we can learn from a new WHO report

Efforts to vaccinate the homeless stumbling over red tape

By Siyabonga Kamnqa, July 28, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination programme currently requires that people enter an identity number when registering on government’s electronic system and present an identity document when they go to get jabbed. This makes it hard for homeless people without IDs to get vaccinated. Siyabonga Kamnqa reports from the streets of Cape Town.

Tags: Access to Health COVID-19 COVID-19 vaccine District Six clinic EVDS featured HIV Homeless homeless shelters Identity documents infectious diseases national vaccine rollout strategy Nomafrench Mbombo Public Health public health services TB vaccine registration vaccines Western Cape Department of Health

Efforts to vaccinate the homeless stumbling over red tape

1 2 3 … 11 Next →