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OPINION: The promise of a financial boost for TB programmes – where to from here?

OPINION: The promise of a financial boost for TB programmes – where to from here?

By Sihle Mahonga Ndawonde,
Posted in: Latest, TB

South Africa’s new National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs 2023-2028 and the country’s TB Recovery Plan necessitate a sharp increase in TB testing and increased enrolment into care, which will require additional spending on testing and medicines. Sihle Mahonga Ndawonde argues that a joint committee should be set up to review and interrogate provincial departments’ resource allocation decisions for the next three years.

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Opinion: Shorter treatment regimens for TB offer hope, but await implementation

Opinion: Shorter treatment regimens for TB offer hope, but await implementation

By Yuri F. van der Heijden, Violet Chihota, and Salome Charalambous,
Posted in: Latest, TB

Almost two years ago, a study found that a breakthrough four-month treatment regimen for tuberculosis is as effective as the current six-month regimen. The time is now to join together for the thoughtful implementation of this new regimen, argue Yuri F. van der Heijden, Violet Chihota, and Salome Charalambous.

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In-Depth: Mostly positive responses to SA’s new HIV, TB and STI plan

In-Depth: Mostly positive responses to SA’s new HIV, TB and STI plan

By Nthusang Lefafa,
Posted in: Edition 12: SA’s AIDS & TB response, Edition 8: NSP in general, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Mental Health, NSP and SANAC, TB

South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (2023 – 2028) was launched on Friday at Tlhabane Stadium in Rustenburg, North West as the world commemorated World TB Day. Nthusang Lefafa attended the event and spoke to experts and activists about the state of TB and HIV and the work that lies ahead with the new NSP.

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OPINION: We need more dedicated investment to address TB in children

OPINION: We need more dedicated investment to address TB in children

By Dr Sipho Nyathi,
Posted in: Latest, TB

Despite advances in paediatric TB care, substantial challenges remain. If we are to heed the call for this year’s World TB Day – ‘Yes! We can end TB’ – we will need to significantly ramp up dedicated investment for an integrated approach to addressing TB in children, argues Dr Sipho Nyathi.

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Face to face: Prof Muki Shey on his journey from Cameroon to doing cutting-edge TB research

Face to face: Prof Muki Shey on his journey from Cameroon to doing cutting-edge TB research

By Biénne Huisman,
Posted in: Healthcare Workers, Latest, TB

On 9 March, Professor Muki Shey received a silver award from the South African Medical Research Council for his “outstanding contribution to health research”. Shey is spearheading research into TB in healthcare workers from around Cape Town, scanning for those who over at least five years of high exposure to the disease at hospitals or clinics have never been infected. Biénne Huisman spoke to him about his journey from the North West of Cameroon to a lab at UCT and the value of ploughing back to help develop the next generation.

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Opinion: Making good on the promise of SA’s TB Recovery Plan

Opinion: Making good on the promise of SA’s TB Recovery Plan

By Wieda Human, Ruvandhi Nathavitharana, Janet Giddy, Ingrid Schoeman and Helene-Mari van der Westhuizen,
Posted in: Latest, TB

The South African TB Recovery Plan was developed to try and reverse the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s TB response. On World TB Day, authors from TB Proof (a leading TB activist group) assess how the recovery is going and identify four key areas where further intervention is needed.

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Opinion: Yes! We can end TB in South Africa

Opinion: Yes! We can end TB in South Africa

By Gaurang Tanna and Yogan Pillay,
Posted in: Latest, TB

While there is a long way to go, there has been important progress in South Africa’s response to tuberculosis (TB) and 2023 is set up to be a watershed year for the fight against the disease both globally and in South Africa. As we commemorate World TB Day, let us all pledge to make this year’s theme a reality – “Yes! You and I can end TB”, write Gaurang Tanna and Yogan Pillay.

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Supply issues delaying wider rollout of shorter TB preventive therapy

Supply issues delaying wider rollout of shorter TB preventive therapy

By Tiyese Jeranji,
Posted in: Latest, TB

South Africa’s recently published guidelines for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection have been welcomed by several experts. Among others, the guidelines endorse the use of a three-month course of TB preventive therapy as opposed to the old six-month course. But, while the intention is to roll out the three-month course quite widely, supply constraints may delay things. Tiyese Jeranji reports.

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Editorial: New guidelines are a step forward for SA’s TB response

Editorial: New guidelines are a step forward for SA’s TB response

By Marcus Low,
Posted in: Latest, TB

New tuberculosis infection guidelines released ahead of World TB Day are another important step in the right direction for South Africa’s TB response, argues Spotlight editor Marcus Low, while also warning of the substantial implementation challenges that remain.

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Community care model improves uptake of TB preventive therapy, KZN study finds

Community care model improves uptake of TB preventive therapy, KZN study finds

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Latest, TB

The uptake and continuation of tuberculosis preventive therapy were much higher when it was provided through a community-based model compared to the standard clinic-based model, a study conducted in KwaZulu-Natal found. Elri Voigt unpacks the study findings, which were recently presented at the Conference for Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle, USA.

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What next after shortened TB treatment fails in key trial?

What next after shortened TB treatment fails in key trial?

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, TB

The current treatment for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) used in South Africa last for six months, effectively cures TB and is dirt cheap. Two studies in recent years have shown that TB can be cured in four or in some cases even two months, but price and other complications make these treatments tricky to implement. At a conference in Seattle last week, a major trial of an alternative four-month treatment reported disappointing findings. Elri Voigt unpacks the latest findings and asks what the prospects now are for shortening TB treatment.

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As with COVID-19, the effects of TB can linger long after it is cured

As with COVID-19, the effects of TB can linger long after it is cured

By Tiyese Jeranji,
Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, TB

According to the World Health Organization, of the roughly 10 million people who fall ill with TB annually, over 80% survive, in most cases due to a six-month treatment course. Unfortunately, as with long COVID, being cured is not always the last hurdle and many people go on to struggle with post-TB lung disease. Tiyese Jeranji asked local experts about this sometimes-neglected area of TB care.

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