South Africa: In-Depth - How Cystic Fibrosis Is Being Treated in SA While Breakthrough Meds Remain Out of Reach

Legal action is underway in South Africa to improve access to a game-changing new class of medicines called CFTR modulator therapies for treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF). Where… Read more »

South Africa: Can Digital Adherence Technologies Help With Adherence to HIV Medicines?

Around 7.8 million people were living with HIV in South Africa in 2022, of which 5.7 million were taking antiretroviral treatment. People living with HIV who take antiretroviral… Read more »

South Africa: Struggle for Migrant Health Rights Still Far From Over After Landmark Judgment

On 14 April 2023, the High Court in Gauteng confirmed the rights of all pregnant and lactating women and children under age six to access services for free at all levels of care,… Read more »

South Africa: The Promise of a Financial Boost for TB Programmes - Where to From Here?

South Africa's new roadmap to tackle HIV, TB and sexually transmitted infections - the National Strategic Plan - lays out an ambitious list of priority actions that need to be… Read more »

South Africa: New RSV Vaccine Can Save Thousands of Lives, Researchers Say

The first vaccine to prevent severe lung infections, including pneumonia, in infants will save thousands of lives and reduce the burden on health systems of low- to middle-income… Read more »

South Africa: Access to Sufficient Colostomy Bags Still Hit-and-Miss At Gauteng Hospitals

Six months after Spotlight first reported on the plight of stoma patients experiencing shortages of colostomy and urostomy bags at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH)… Read more »

South Africa: Interview - Being a Good Doctor Requires Empathy, Says Outgoing Health Ombud Prof Malegapuru Makgoba

As a young boy surrounded by hills in Limpopo, Malegapuru William Makgoba says he used to rest in the shade of marula trees, minding his father's ducks, sheep, and goats, while… Read more »

South Africa: Oral Health Services for Persons With Special Needs Still Lacking

In a landmark ruling earlier this year, the Bhisho High Court ruled that the Eastern Cape Department of Health would not need to make lump sum payments for future medical expenses… Read more »

Africa: Major Study Turns Spotlight On Formula Milk Industry

The scientific evidence that exclusive breastfeeding is best for infants is very strong. Yet, some baby milk formula companies continue to use questionable methods to create demand… Read more »

Africa: After UN Report, New Focus On Antimicrobial Resistance in the Environment

A recent United Nations report, titled 'Bracing for Superbugs: Strengthening environmental action in the One Health response to antimicrobial resistance', has put the Spotlight on… Read more »

South Africa: What New STI Prevention Findings Mean for SA

Last year, Spotlight reported that taking a widely available antibiotic after condomless sex can reduce the risk of contracting three different sexually transmitted infections… Read more »

South Africa: Do We Have to Balance the Right to Health With the Right to Strike?

South Africa's public health sector strikes often come down to pitting two rights against each other - the right of workers to strike and the rights of patients to access… Read more »

Africa: Are NGOs Doing the Work of the State, and Should They?

People in South Africa are used to reports of organisations like Gift of the Givers stepping in during humanitarian emergencies or service delivery NGOs assisting with HIV or… Read more »

South Africa: New Screening Programme Planned for Cystic Fibrosis in SA

In recent weeks, cystic fibrosis (CF) has been in the headlines because of a court case about access to new treatments for the genetic condition. CF is one of the most common… Read more »

South Africa: Face to Face - 'It's Not About Me, It's About the Patient That I'm Helping', Says Head of Trauma At Bara

Professor Rudo Mathivha speaks slowly and thoughtfully - a direct contradiction to the hive of activity around her at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, where she… Read more »

Africa: Shorter Treatment Regimens for TB Offer Hope, but Await Implementation

A global infectious disease killer existed long before COVID-19 and continues to wreak havoc on the lives of millions of people worldwide. Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by… Read more »

South Africa: Ongoing Security Concerns At Gauteng Hospitals Amid Reports of Cable Theft

Already bogged down by loadshedding, operations at various health facilities in Gauteng and some other provinces have also been disrupted due to cable theft, creating another layer… Read more »

South Africa: New Free State Health MEC Wants to Restore Hope in the Province's Healthcare Services

Her aim is to restore hope in healthcare services for the people of Free State, the province's new Health MEC Mathabo Leeto said shortly after being sworn in as MEC on 14 March. Read more »

South Africa: In-Depth - Mostly Positive Responses to SA's New HIV, TB and STI Plan

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… Read more »

South Africa: We Need More Dedicated Investment to Address TB in Children

The theme of last year's World Tuberculosis (TB) Day was 'Invest to end TB' - an apt theme acknowledging the critical shortfall in funding for TB if we are to meet the 2035 goal of… Read more »

South Africa: Face to Face - Prof Muki Shey On His Journey From Cameroon to Doing Cutting-Edge TB Research

It was his own background including childhood sickness that inflamed Professor Muki Shey's passion for finding health solutions in resource-constrained settings. Read more »

South Africa: Making Good On the Promise of SA's TB Recovery Plan

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death in South Africa. In 2021, TB accounted for 56 000 deaths and 304 000 people got sick with TB in the country. This is part of an… Read more »

South Africa: Yes! We Can End TB in South Africa

Tuberculosis (TB), an ancient but curable disease, kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease. Despite decades of global efforts to fight TB, more than 1.6… Read more »

South Africa: Supply Issues Delaying Wider Rollout of Shorter TB Preventive Therapy

Though estimates vary substantially, it is thought that in the region of 300 000 people fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa every year. Many more people, however, have… Read more »

South Africa: New Guidelines Are a Step Forward for SA's TB Response

In February 2021, findings from South Africa's first national tuberculosis (TB) prevalence survey confirmed what many suspected - every year, tens of thousands of people sick with… Read more »