In-depth: The court ruling that gives qualifying pharmacists the green light to provide HIV and TB meds without a script

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Specially trained and accredited pharmacists in South Africa will now be allowed to dispense medicines to prevent HIV and TB and to treat uncomplicated HIV without a doctor’s script. This is because the North Gauteng High Court this week ruled against an application by a private doctors’ association attempting to block the initiative. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks the judgment and rounds up some responses.

New HIV/TB plan delayed by a year because of COVID-19

Posted in: COVID-19, Edition 8: NSP in general, HIV/AIDS, Latest, NSP and SANAC, TB

South Africa will delay introducing a new HIV and TB plan until 2024, Deputy President David Mabuza revealed on Wednesday. The plan is delayed to allow the country’s HIV and TB responses to recover from COVID-19-related disruptions. Laura Lopez Gonzalez reports for Spotlight.

Opinion: When civil society can’t do its work, adherence to HIV treatment dips.

Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 8: NSP in general, Edition 9: State of HIV, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Limpopo, Provinces, SRHR

If South Africa is forced to go into a COVID-19 lockdown again, HIV support groups and adherence clubs should remain functional to make sure that everyone is supported, has regular access to information and treatment, and that people are motivated to adhere to treatment, argue Annah Maluleke and Solanga Milambo.

Towards a workable plan

Posted in: Latest, NSP and SANAC, Sections, Spotlight, Spotlight Edition 2