MOSQUITO HUNTERS | How does government track the malaria parasite? Why polluted puddles could spell trouble, and a pre-elimination puzzle. Get to know South Africa’s malaria experts as they outrun hitchhiking mosquitoes and pollution-hardy bugs.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/04/t...
RURAL HEALTH HEROES | Maryke Bezuidenhout has been standing up for the underdog. Moses Mthembu was once told he’d never walk again. They travel from homestead to homestead fixing wheelchairs, reseating growing children, and support to people with disabilities.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/05/t...
OUT OF REACH | Accessing weight loss meds like Ozempic and Mounjaro requires people to shell out a few thousand Rand a month. In part 2 of this special series, we examine the medical need for these meds and what it would take to get them in the public sector.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/02/25/o...
CUTTING EDGE | South African-led HIV vaccine trial built on decades of research kicked off in Cape Town. Spotlight unpacks what exactly is being studied, and how the resilience, tenacity and urgency of a group of dedicated local researchers made it possible.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/02/26/b...
NUMBERS MATTER | In an age of misinformation, clear and trust-worthy numbers matter more than ever. That is one reason why we have been hard at work to help bring reliable health data to your fingertips. Dive in: tinyurl.com/y4b8zf6k
Join our mailing list: tinyurl.com/82jdsfjy
MORE TRANSPARENCY | Spotlight's new TB dashboard and graph generator follows on the launch of a similar HIV dashboard. These dashboards show estimates from the latest versions of the Thembisa mathematical model.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/02/17/e...
Another very informative piece from Andy Gray.
12.02.2026 09:04 — 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
MUST READ | With several important developments on the horizon, 2026 is set to be another eventful year in healthcare. Here are nine stories that Spotlight will keep a close eye on.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/01/19/s...
The Will for Peace 2026 joint naval exercise between South Africa, China, Russia, and Iran, which started in Simon’s Town last weekend, is a bad idea.
Read groundup.org.za/article/we-s... by GroundUp Editors
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We systematically reviewed molecular epidemiology studies looking at strain discordance in pairs of people with TB disease and history of household contact
We found 30 studies from 18 countries. Excluding 4 studies at high risk of bias, we had data on 1544 household case pairs
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HISTORY OF HIV | Have a look at our interactive timeline that highlights scientific milestones, political controversies, activism, and the human stories that shaped one of the most significant public health challenges of our time.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/25/a...
Kaplan–Meier curves for 6-month survival according to treatment group and HIV status.
Tuberculous meningitis is often fatal, and current therapies need to be improved. In the HARVEST phase 3 trial, high-dose rifampin plus standard treatment was assessed. Full trial results: nej.md/49iiDsQ
#MedSky #NeuroSky #IDSky
MUST READ| Spotlight editor @marcuslowx.bsky.social takes stock of some of the year's biggest health stories, including the cuts to US aid for health and support for research, important HIV prevention developments, and NHI court cases. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/12/08/h...
08.12.2025 06:31 — 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
SPOTLIGHT ON HIV | Ahead of World AIDS Day coming up on Monday, December 1st, Spotlight's focus this week was exclusively on HIV. Find out more: tinyurl.com/39evnys4
Join our mailing list: tinyurl.com/82jdsfjy
Some very interesting data here, though some of it is far from straightforward to interpret. Credit to the NHLS for responding positively to a PAIA request.
27.11.2025 12:19 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
THE HISTORY OF HIV | Explore four decades of the HIV story, from the first cases to breakthroughs in prevention, science, and South Africa’s fight against the virus: www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/25/a...
25.11.2025 06:25 — 👍 3 🔁 6 💬 0 📌 0Excellent piece by Catherine Tomlinson. @sahivsoc.bsky.social @unaids.org
24.11.2025 09:03 — 👍 3 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0Excellent piece by Catherine Tomlinson. @sahivsoc.bsky.social @unaids.org
24.11.2025 09:03 — 👍 3 🔁 3 💬 0 📌 0
TAKING STOCK OF NHI | It seems likely that in 2026, the courts will have to make one or more landmark rulings that will determine the future of NHI. Find out more: tinyurl.com/u9tv9jf9
Join our mailing list: tinyurl.com/82jdsfjy
This is very good
19.11.2025 05:23 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0The best test of “AI” on Windows, and agents in particular, is its ability to troubleshoot Windows itself. Right now many Windows problems still require humans looking through logs and finding solutions on obscure web forums.
19.11.2025 05:16 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
“More than a decade after the first HPV vaccination programmes rolled out, data from multiple countries reveals a dramatic fall in cervical cancers and precancers, confirming that HPV vaccines are highly effective and extremely safe”
www.gavi.org/vaccineswork...
A preliminary assessment of what the Media and Digital Platforms Market Inquiry final report delivers — and what it leaves unresolved.
14.11.2025 18:29 — 👍 0 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0Shiny is a really fantastic platform for creating this kind of dashboard, providing one is comfortable in #R
14.11.2025 12:58 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
JUST IN | Around 54 000 people died of TB in South Africa in 2024, according to new figures released alongside the @who.int’s latest World TB Report. This continues a slow downward trend in TB deaths in recent years, reports @marcuslowx.bsky.social.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/12/5...
I suspect there will be some truly fascinating presentations of data from this study at conferences 3 or 4 years from now.
06.11.2025 11:30 — 👍 1 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
MUST READ | The number of HIV viral load tests recorded by the National Health Laboratory Service is significantly less than expected since Feb 2025. Spotlight and @groundup.org.za are aware of no compelling reason to explain this except the US aid withdrawal.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/11/04/w...
The second in our series on the key legal questions on which the NHI court cases are likely to turn. Great work from Jesse Copelyn, as always.
30.10.2025 09:43 — 👍 2 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0Catherine Tomlinson on what still needs to happen before pharmacists can dispense ARVs without a script from a Dr.
27.10.2025 09:34 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
BIG SA NEWS IN HIV PREVENTION | Our medicines regulator approved an HIV prevention shot containing lenacapavir. It provides protection for six months with a single dose. A limited public rollout is set for April 2026.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/10/27/b...
