Women in Health: Francesca Conradie – from HIV to groundbreaking TB research

Posted in: Edition 10: Drug-resistant TB, Edition 14: Tuberculosis, Edition 7: TB, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Dr Francesca Conradie knew she wanted to be a doctor when she was eight years old. Now, 50 years later, she is a pioneer in the field of tuberculosis (TB) and led a landmark trial that changed how drug-resistant TB is treated. Aisha Abdool Karim spoke to her about the reasons behind her switch from HIV research to TB, her initial surprise at the remarkable NiX trial results, and the man who has shaped her life – her father.

Women in Health: Francesca Conradie – from HIV to groundbreaking TB research

AIDS 2022: What does an important STI prevention finding mean for SA?

Posted in: Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Taking the antibiotic doxycycline after condomless sex can reduce the risk of contracting three different sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a study presented last week at the AIDS 2022 conference in Montreal, Canada. Elri Voigt unpacks the study findings and asks local experts what it might mean for combatting STIs in South Africa.

AIDS 2022: What does an important STI prevention finding mean for SA?

Women in Health: “I don’t like seeing anybody treated unfairly” – new leader of HIV Clinicians Society

Posted in: Edition 9: State of HIV, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Juliet Houghton was recently appointed as the CEO of the Southern African HIV Clinician’s Society (SAHCS). As part of Spotlight’s Women in Health series, Bienne Huisman spoke to her about her life working in HIV, her new role at the SAHCS, the importance of being able to laugh, and the Shakespearian origins of her name.

Opinion: Engaging communities and young people in the HIV response

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

The AIDS2022 conference held recently in Montreal, Canada highlighted yet again the need for community activism and the importance of involving young people, writes Dr Yogan Pillay. He argues that the youth and communities must be engaged in the conceptualisation and writing of South Africa’s new AIDS plan, and young people and community-based organisations must have a central role in key aspects of its implementation.

Opinion: Engaging communities and young people in the HIV response

“It took me three seconds to decide” – Fareed Abdullah reflects on his career in public health

Posted in: Edition 9: State of HIV, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Over the last three decades, Dr Fareed Abdullah has been at the coalface of South Africa’s response to HIV, tuberculosis, and more recently, COVID-19. Biénne Huisman chatted with Abdullah about providing antiretrovirals in the time of AIDS denialism, National Health Insurance, working as a medical doctor, and the toll HIV has sadly taken on his own family.

“It took me three seconds to decide” – Fareed Abdullah reflects on his career in public health

Experts welcome new HIV treatments for kids

Posted in: Child health, HIV/AIDS, Latest

New child-friendly formulations of several important antiretroviral medicines were recently approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority. Thabo Molelekwa asks what this means for children living with HIV in South Africa and how long it will take for these medicines to become widely available.

Experts welcome new HIV treatments for kids

INTERVIEW: “Guys, I think that’s a new variant” – de Oliveira reflects on two years chasing the virus

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

South African bioinformatics expert Professor Tulio de Oliveira was recently honoured with Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people award. Biénne Huisman sat down with him to talk about his part in the discovery of new COVID-19 variants, his chats with the President, and the treasure trove of scientific research excellence in Africa.

INTERVIEW: “Guys, I think that’s a new variant” – de Oliveira reflects on two years chasing the virus

Over 3million people on new HIV drug, but not all smooth sailing

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

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.

Over 3million people on new HIV drug, but not all smooth sailing

Editorial: How do we make an HIV and TB plan that has greater impact?

Posted in: Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, Editorial, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, NSP and SANAC

South Africa’s new National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs is being developed this year. Spotlight editor Marcus Low asks what we should aim for in the new strategy and how we should go about developing it.

Editorial: How do we make an HIV and TB plan that has greater impact?

In-depth: Critical medicine priced out of reach for people with cryptococcal meningitis

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Latest

Cryptococcal meningitis is the second top killer of people living with HIV in South Africa. In the second of a two-part series on access to treatment for the condition, Catherine Tomlinson puts the Spotlight on the drug liposomal amphotericin B (part one looked at flucytosine).

In-depth: Critical medicine priced out of reach for people with cryptococcal meningitis

Cutting-edge cancer treatment may have potential for HIV

Posted in: Latest

Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have mainly been making headlines as a cutting-edge form of cancer treatment. Recently, however, presentations on CARs have been given at HIV conferences. Elri Voigt asks what CARs actually are and how they might one day be used to treat HIV.

Cutting-edge cancer treatment may have potential for HIV

In-depth: What the approval of flucytosine means for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis in SA

Posted in: Latest

After seemingly endless delays, a critically important drug for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis was recently approved in South Africa. Yet, while the approval of flucytosine was a major step forward, much more still needs to be done to ensure wide availability of this life-saving medicine for the second leading killer of people living with HIV. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks the details.