The number of HIV viral load tests is significantly lower than expected, according to an analysis of data from the National Health Laboratory Service which Spotlight and GroundUp obtained through the Promotion of Access to Information Act. The number of HIV viral load tests recorded by the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is significantly less…
Ignore photo claiming to be HIV under microscope – shows caterpillar, not virus! IN SHORT: Viral posts circulating on Facebook in Kenya and Tanzania claim to show HIV magnified under a microscope, suggesting the virus’s anatomy makes it drug-resistant. But the image actually shows a caterpillar and HIV resists treatment through genetic mutations, not because…
What’s new From 2027, Indian generics companies and Hetero Labs Dr. Reddy’s will supply lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable PrEP with ~96-100% efficacy, for US$40 (R698) per person per year across 120 low- and middle-income countries. South Africa, home to the world’s largest HIV epidemic, is included in the agreement, making the country one of the…
A nanocarrier is a microscopic drug delivery system that can transport therapies directly to targeted cells. A self-taught, Durban-based developer is seeking to push the boundaries of medical research by showing how human-AI symbiosis could strengthen HIV treatment with antiretrovirals (ARVs). Unlike conventional uses of artificial intelligence (AI), which typically focus on data analysis or…
Johannesburg — The 12th South African AIDS Conference opened this week at Emperor’s Palace in Gauteng, South Africa, as pressure mounted on health systems in the host country and the region. The conference, which runs from September 8-11, drew about 1,400 delegates under the theme Unite for Change, Empower Communities and Redefine Priorities for HIV/AIDS….
A new HIV prevention jab has the potential to bring an end to the AIDS epidemic. But a lack of ambition and unjustifiable secrecy over pricing is holding it back, argue three leading health activists. Imagine a new HIV prevention tool existed that could – if it reached the right people – flick the switch…
Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya and Toyin Saraki (Guest writers) During the recently commemorated Pan-African Women’s Day (PAWD), we were reminded of the enduring legacy, resilience, and leadership of African women. However, as we celebrated, we also confronted a lingering truth: far too many pregnant and breastfeeding women in Africa are still left behind in HIV prevention…
Sub-Saharan Africa has taken a cautious but critical step toward greater health self-reliance as locally produced HIV medicines and diagnostic tests begin reaching national programmes – including, for the first time, procurement of African-made treatment for Mozambique. The development marks a milestone for a region that bears nearly 65 per cent of the global HIV…
Each year, Pan-African Women’s Day (PAWD) reminds us of the enduring legacy, resilience, and leadership of African women. However, as we celebrate, we must also confront a lingering truth: far too many pregnant and breastfeeding women in Africa are still left behind in HIV prevention efforts. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are not merely recipients of…
A call to Action has emerged from a High-Level Ministerial Conference on Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B, held in Kampala, Uganda. African Ministers of Health, development partners, and civil society organisations committed to a united front to end vertical transmission of the three infections by the year 2030. At the heart of…
