Health
LEN won’t sell itself: 6 lessons from HIV prevention pills
Lenacapavir offers game-changing, twice-yearly protection against HIV, but South Africa's experience with prevention pills proves an effective medicine won't sell itself. Here…
Would homegrown LEN cost more? Why SA should still make the HIV prevention jab
South Africa aims to manufacture the revolutionary six-monthly HIV prevention injection lenacapavir locally. Experts weigh the need for rapid, affordable access against building…
For 20 years, Kwanele Asante told health systems to listen to patients. Then the UN gave her the mic
South African lawyer and bioethicist Kwanele Asante transformed her personal health challenges with breast cancer and chronic illness into decades of fierce advocacy for people…
To stop violent men, look at the boys they were
To end South Africa's crisis of violence against women, research shows we must look at the boy before the violent man and intervene where childhood trauma, poverty, and…
Meet four people who got the HIV prevention jab
As South Africa rolls out the six-monthly HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir, four people from high-risk groups explain why they chose the shot over daily pills and what their…
The first generic weight loss drug hit SA in August — with many expected to follow. Will it be enough to kill the black market?
As patents expire, generic versions of blockbuster weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic arrive in South Africa. But will price drops be enough to end the dangerous black…
SA and Zambia’s HIV shot dilemma: Demand versus supply
South Africa and Zambia are grappling with a significant challenge in rolling out lenacapavir, a new six-monthly HIV prevention injection. Despite high demand and promising early…
‘This is how we do it’: 30 years of caring for a son with cerebral palsy
Keneilwe Dikoma's life changed forever when her son Lorato was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at six months old. For three decades, she has navigated the complexities of care in…
Aids is no longer exceptional. What happens now?
The International Aids Conference in Rio de Janeiro highlighted a stark reality: the era of Aids exceptionalism is ending amid unprecedented funding cuts. As science delivers…
The unfinished fight for South Africa's young women
Seventy years after the historic Women's March, South Africa reflects on progress while confronting the ongoing challenges faced by young women today, from healthcare access and…
Building belief beyond the laboratory
Dr. Zakithi Mkhize, a virologist specialising in HIV research and founder of Black Girl Scientist Media, is changing perceptions of scientists in South Africa. Through her work…
#Aids2026: Bhekisisa analysed SA’s first LEN roll-out data. Here's what it found
South Africa accounts for over half of all lenacapavir (LEN) users in Africa, with health department data revealing 31,297 of the continent's roughly 60,000 users are in the…
SA tech firm to launch AI-powered healthcare booking platform
Knockturnal, a wholly black-owned South African technology company, is set to launch Hlokomela, an AI-assisted digital health platform. Founded by software engineer Moses Tjege,…
#Aids2026: Daily pill. Monthly pill. Six-monthly jab. Why choice matters
For the first time, Merck has granted generic manufacturers, including three African companies, permission to produce an investigational monthly HIV prevention pill, alimatravir,…
What HIV got right — but obesity still hasn’t
As the 26th International Aids Conference convenes, this article draws parallels between the HIV response and the emerging obesity crisis in South Africa. It highlights how…
What The Polygamist gets wrong about HIV — and what would save lives in real life
The Netflix drama "The Polygamist" depicts Jonasi Gomora's death from an AIDS-related illness, but the article argues that HIV isn't the real villain. Instead, it's the denial,…
When sewage floods your home, it floods your mind too
In Nairobi's Mukuru kwa Reuben, residents face a grim reality: homes repeatedly flooded by sewage due to dysfunctional drainage. This article explores the profound psychological…
The Fight to Save Africa's Sight
As South Africa hosts the African Ophthalmology Council Congress, ophthalmologist Dr. Mpopi Lenake highlights the critical need for stronger partnerships, research, and…
LEN can stop HIV. But first people need to understand it
The last person I expected to catch me off guard that summer’s evening was my 52-year-old aunt. We were roasting fresh maize around a fire in Chisamba, a rural farming town about…
Health Beat #39 | Inside SA's illegal weight-loss drug trade
South Africa faces a surge in illegal weight-loss drugs, as expensive GLP-1 medicines drive a black market for cheaper, untested versions. This trend raises serious health…