In this hard-hitting open letter, SECTION27, Cancer Alliance and TAC activists argue that the Gauteng Department of Health has failed in fulfilling its obligations to provide radiation oncology services while over 3 000 cancer patients wait for treatment. The post OPEN LETTER | R784 million goes unspent as cancer patients continue to die appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Elri Voigt unpacks the complex effect that HIV has on the kidneys, how HIV and chronic kidney disease has evolved after the roll out of anti-retroviral treatment, and what the situation is now in the country for people living with HIV and chronic kidney disease. The post Chronic kidney disease rates have dropped in people with HIV, but late diagnosis remains a serious problem appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Heroin use has increased markedly in South Africa. Jesse Copelyn analyses the drivers of the crisis, the policies that could help curb it, and those that could make it even worse. The post SA is facing a fast-escalating heroin crisis – and it’s being misunderstood appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

That HIV can develop resistance to the drugs used to treat it is nothing new, but results from recent studies reveal the emergence of resistance in subsets of people living with HIV to dolutegravir – an antiretroviral widely used in South Africa. Top HIV experts spoke to Elri Voigt about the new findings and what it means for people living with HIV in the country. The post Widely used HIV drug in SA flagged for reports of resistance – but experts say don’t panic appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Inequality shaping health outcomes, and how poor people are disproportionately affected by infectious diseases – these are driving passions for Cape Town epidemiologist Alex de Voux. The post ‘The science and research we do, ultimately it’s connected to your city, your country, and its people,’ says leading researcher appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Luvuyo Mehlwana looks back at the performance of public healthcare services in the Eastern Cape over the last five years – a term characterised by leadership instability, infrastructure problems, financial short-falls, and of course the COVID-19 pandemic. The post Health services in the Eastern Cape: What changed since the last elections? appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

In addition to shedding light on what people actually die of, autopsies can also play an important role in helping us to better understand disease. Tiyese Jeranji unpacks tuberculosis-related autopsy research in the Western Cape and delves into some of the fascinating complexities of this branch of TB research. The post What we can learn about TB at the autopsy table appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Despite South Africa’s impressive HIV testing figures, a subset of people start taking antiretroviral therapy far later than is ideal for their health, shows new data from the leading mathematical model of HIV in the country. The post One in four people with HIV not on treatment, according to new estimates appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Scientists worldwide are sounding the alarm at the return of syphilis, describing the comeback of the easily preventable infection as a huge public health failing - as an effective vaccine remains elusive. The post Syphilis rates are spiking around the world appeared first on Spotlight ..read more

Condom distribution in South Africa has dropped dramatically over the last five years, finds a Spotlight analysis of data recently published in the Health System Trust’s District Health Barometer (DHB). The post Dramatic decline in condom distribution in SA, new figures show appeared first on Spotlight ..read more