South Africa has less than eight years before one of its most important external funding streams for HIV and TB programmes ends. Allocation letters sent in March confirm that the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria plans its final grant to South Africa in Grant Cycle 9. This cycle will run from April 2031 to March 2034. At…
Tag: HIV
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Lenacapavir Manufacturing In SA: Strengthening Production
A new wave of “America First” industrial policy is reshaping global supply chains. Medicines and vaccines are increasingly treated as strategic assets, not just commercial products. That shift matters for South Africa, which still relies heavily on imports for essential health technologies, making discussions around Lenacapavir Manufacturing in SA increasingly important. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how quickly supply lines can…
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Roche Integration Accelerated: A New Era for Testing
Roche Diagnostics Africa launched Roche Integration Accelerated, a continent-wide initiative to expand access to testing for TB, HIV, HPV, and Hepatitis B and C. The programme leverages existing laboratory infrastructure. Unveiled on World TB Day, the initiative positions integration as a practical response to tightening budgets across African health systems. The core idea is simple. Many countries already have established…
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HPV Vaccination: School Vaccination Programme Cuts Risk
South Africa’s HPV vaccination drive is delivering measurable protection for teenagers, including those who later acquire HIV. New research led by scientists at Wits University shows the country’s school-based programme is sharply reducing infections with the two highest-risk HPV strains linked to cervical cancer. The vaccine used in the public programme targets HPV-16 and HPV-18, the strains responsible for around…
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HIV Prevention Shot Lenacapavir: Aspen Warns of Demand Risks
South Africa’s leading generic drug manufacturer, Aspen Pharmacare, has issued a stark warning regarding the local production of a breakthrough medical treatment. The company asserts that local firms require guaranteed demand to manufacture the HIV prevention shot lenacapavir sustainably. South Africa was notably absent from the initial round of voluntary licences. In 2024, the patent holder, Gilead Sciences, awarded licences…
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Human HIV Vaccine Trial Begins With BRILLIANT 011
South Africa has launched its first-ever human HIV vaccine trial. It is a landmark for a country that remains the global epicentre of HIV. The long-term ambition is clear. Scientists want a safe, affordable vaccine given in the first year of life, with no need for repeat doses. The trial, known as BRILLIANT 011, is a first-in-human study. It has…
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HIV ARV Tender Crisis Triggers Parliamentary Scrutiny
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi faces urgent questions in Parliament after two companies holding major government contracts to supply HIV medicines entered business rescue. The concern is immediate and practical. Any disruption to antiretroviral (ARV) supply can lead to missed doses. That raises the risk of treatment failure and drug resistance. South Africa carries the world’s biggest HIV burden. An estimated…
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WhatsApp Microlearning: Solving a Persistent HIV Training Gap
A new approach to frontline training is gaining traction in South Africa’s HIV response. It is built around a simple idea. Most clinicians and counsellors may not have time for long online webinars, but they do have phones and use WhatsApp. Briony Chisholm, an information pharmacist at the University of Cape Town’s Medicines Information Centre (MIC), says rural clinics often…