South Africa regulator reviews 12 generic semaglutide applications

South ‌Africa's health regulator is reviewing 12 applications for generic versions of semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk's blockbuster diabetes and weight-loss medicines, it ​said on T...

reuters.com

Syphilis Testing Is Terrible — Now Try Interpreting It

Reverse algorithms, serofast results, prozone effects, and why there is no such thing as a quick syphilis question

voices.nejm.org

#Aids2026: What The Polygamist gets wrong about HIV — and what would save lives in real life - Bhekisisa

This is the first in Bhekisisa's series of commentaries marking the International Aids Conference in Rio de Janeiro that starts on Sunday. Netflix's The Polygamist has sparked conversation across Afri...

bhekisisa.org

‘They’re in the wind’: How US cuts pushed trans people out of care  - Bhekisisa

US funding cuts gutted the NGOs that provided most of South Africa's transgender healthcare overnight. Last week, things became even cloudier with news reports that the US government plans to permanen...

bhekisisa.org

2026-06 - South Africa’s tuberculosis research changes global medical practice - Wits University

wits.ac.za

State Capture and xenophobia — ‘abahambe’ mob lacks gumption to tackle SA’s real problems.

The xenophobic movements’ indifference to State Capture, high-level corruption and massive corporate fraud betrays a cowardice to confront the root causes of South Africa’s development failures. …

dailymaverick.co.za

Important advance in TB treatment

South African researchers publish trial results in world’s leading medical journal

groundup.org.za

To the US and back: SA’s Prof Willem Hanekom reflects on the joys of science and a career ‘running with opportunities’

At his Durban office, Professor Willem Hanekom tells Biénne Huisman about taking a ventilated young patient to the Sea Point promenade, living with HIV, the need for an African research agenda, and th...

spotlightnsp.co.za

Wasted Investments, Looming Crisis: The Impact of U.S. Global Health Funding Cuts on HIV in South Africa - PHR

South Africa is unique among the many countries impacted by the Trump administration’s actions, having experienced triple blows of cuts to HIV funding, research, and cooperative diplomatic relations.

phr.org

Civil society declares war on diabetes in South Africa

Twenty-four civil society organisations have joined forces to demand urgent, coordinated action on a disease that is now the country’s leading cause of natural death, and to hold themselves accountabl...

dailymaverick.co.za

Pantry vs Relish vs Zuney: Joburg’s burger triangle, ranked

Currency ranks Pantry, Relish and Zuney in Joburg’s burger triangle – from best late-night bite to most divisive.

currencynews.co.za

The year the ANC broke: Jackie Selebi’s war with Bulelani Ngcuka and Vusi Pikoli

Three men, all veterans of the African National Congress and key players in the history of democratic South Africa, as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), met at a crossroads in 20…

dailymaverick.co.za

Goodbye Ufrieda Ho, keeper of Jozi and wordsmith of the people

Journalist Ufrieda Ho passed away of cancer on 9 March 2026. In a career spanning three decades, she wrote for The Star, Daily Maverick, Spotlight, and many other publications.

spotlightnsp.co.za

Through dust and carrying steel, Maryke Bezuidenhout takes care to people with disabilities in KZN’s rural corners

Maryke Bezuidenhout is constantly on the road in rural, northern KwaZulu-Natal visiting and helping people with disabilities where they live. As part of Spotlight’s new Rural Health Heroes series, wri...

spotlightnsp.co.za

Weight-loss jab could be made for $3 a month, study finds

Cheap semaglutide, the drug in Ozempic and Wegovy, could help millions with diabetes and obesity in 160 countries

theguardian.com

HIV made him expect to die at 40. At 73, Edwin Cameron asks: Who’s planning for our ageing survivors? - Bhekisisa

At 33, retired Constitutional Court justice Edwin Cameron thought he had, maybe, seven years left. His story traces the arc from certain death from Aids to a chronic, manageable condition at 73 — and ...

bhekisisa.org

Thato Moncho: A fearless fighter for justice for all cancer patients

Thato Moncho, who died of cancer on 2 January 2026, was the face and voice behind the landmark Cancer Alliance<

dailymaverick.co.za

Two Things that Prolong Life and a Great Recent Paper

A Happy New Year gift to me and everyone who shares one or both of these enthusiasms.

paulsaxmd.substack.com

Child deaths set to rise for first time this century, report

The number of children dying before their fifth birthday is projected to rise for the first time this century, according to a new report.

newsweek.com

Fix the crisis in our clinics & give us 6 month ARV refills so that 1.1 million more people will start AND stay on treatment! - TAC

Makgwabe, 30 November 2025 – To mark World AIDS Day 2025, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is calling on the South African government to urgently fix the ongoing crisis in our clinics. Without addr...

tac.org.za

Types of HIV Papers -- A Quick Guide

I spend a lot of my time reading HIV clinical research papers. A lot. So here, for your viewing pleasure, is a poster I updated and modified from a brilliant xkcd web comic (using this tool), describi...

blogs.jwatch.org

The 2025 HIV Market Report: The state of the HIV market in low- and middle-income countries - Clinton Health Access Initiative

26,000 children lost HIV treatment in 6 months. CHAI’s 2025 HIV Market Report shows funding cut impacts in 14 countries. Download data now.

clintonhealthaccess.org

#InTheSpotlight | Why government should provide more free HIV self-tests

It is estimated that around half a million people living with HIV in South Africa don’t know they are living with the virus. One way to help these people is by offering them the means to test themselv...

spotlightnsp.co.za

Report spotlights ‘system-wide slide’ in basics for health facility standards after Pepfar cuts

A report by the community-led monitoring group Ritshidze has shown that among 326 public health facilities surveyed by the team, 48% reported reduced capacity after the Pepfar disruptions that took pl...

dailymaverick.co.za

PEPFAR cuts leave clinics short of staff

Survey finds longer waiting times for ARVs

groundup.org.za

“Now they give me a 1 a month refill.. they never explained why” – #KZNHealth - TAC

“I would appreciate receiving a 6 month supply of ARVs. Going to the clinic every month or two is difficult. I have to miss work, wait long hours, and sometimes don’t receive the service I need, only ...

tac.org.za

#InTheSpotlight | Amid all the noise, how well is SA’s immunisation programme actually doing

Childhood immunisation programmes have saved many millions of lives and prevented much suffering. Yet, immunisation programmes have lost momentum over the last decade or so. In this #InTheSpotlight sp...

spotlightnsp.co.za

Ritshidze data pinpoint challenges following PEPFAR disruptions that duty bearers must action - TAC

Johannesburg, 10 October 2025 – Between April and June 2025, a scaled down team at the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) began monitoring through Ritshidze to assess the state of our clinics. During the...

tac.org.za