Vaccines mean malaria deaths should be falling — not rising www.nature.com/articles/d41... Nature Editorial.

After a few weeks of playing with Claude Code, writing Rust code from scratch feels like waking up from an extended fever dream. Suddenly things are clear and concrete again.

We covered the US research funding cuts and their impact on SA in some detail last year. I’m glad we could circle back to it.

When are uncontrolled trials in TB scientifically and ethically justified: Borrowing wisdom from early AIDS clinical trials ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 https://bit.ly/4bPWGTk

MOOD MUSIC | The health department needs a world-class manager. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision for a new Director-General will say a lot about how serious he is about fixing our many health challenges, argues Spotlight editor @marcuslowx.bsky.social. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/04/10/r...

OUR BIG READ | Despite the urgent need for new tools to tackle obesity and weight-related illness in people with HIV, there has been very little research to date on GLP-1 use in people with HIV. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/04/08/w...

Some healthcare workers in the public sector are allowed to moonlight in the private sector under certain conditions. But amid broader management dysfunction, many are bending these rules to avoid backlash. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/04/07/m...

CCTV footage shows police officers repeatedly assaulting a Mowbray barber, Juma Igiranieza. Yet, two years later – some of the officers involved – have not only escaped justice, they remain on active duty. Read groundup.org.za/article/how-... by GroundUp Editors

Diagnostic Yield of Tongue Swab- Compared to Sputum-Based Molecular Testing for Tuberculosis in Four High-Burden Countries ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 https://bit.ly/4dNKt2M

Are We Ready for the Gift Tongues Can Give to TB? ✅ Just Accepted 🔗 https://bit.ly/4dfHkIU

Much of what we know about asymptomatic TB in one accessible briefing.

#InsideTheBox | The sale of illegal medicines is a significant threat to public safety. Does the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority have the necessary tools to provide protection in this area, asks Dr Andy Gray in his latest column. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/31/i...

FLU | As the flu season kicks off slightly earlier than usual, Spotlight asks experts what we might expect from this year's season and what we know about a new flu strain that's making the rounds. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/04/01/f... @elri-voigt.bsky.social @tuliodna.bsky.social

DEPRESSION IN SA | Around 3.8 million people in South Africa developed depression in 2024, estimate leading local researchers in a major new modelling study. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/25/w...

ELIMINATING TB | New TB tests have massive potential for South Africa’s struggle to get to grips with the disease. Utilising them will require both ambition and smart implementation, argue Dr Gaurang Tanna and Dr Yogan Pillay. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/19/t... @gatesfoundation.bsky.social

A fascinating long read for World TB Day #tbsky @stoptb.bsky.social @madhupai.bsky.social @treatmentactiongroup.org @tomscriba.bsky.social#tbsky

MUST READ | The opportunity is ripe to craft new and more fit-for-purpose multilateral health institutions animated by a shared commitment to human rights, argues @marcuslowx.bsky.social in an article jointly published with @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2026/03/11/g...

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.

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

NEW PREPRINT! 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 [1/n]

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...

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...

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.

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...

Excellent piece by Catherine Tomlinson. @sahivsoc.bsky.social @unaids.org

Excellent piece by Catherine Tomlinson. @sahivsoc.bsky.social @unaids.org

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

“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.

Shiny is a really fantastic platform for creating this kind of dashboard, providing one is comfortable in #R

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.

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.

Catherine Tomlinson on what still needs to happen before pharmacists can dispense ARVs without a script from a Dr.

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...

These briefings are of the best things we publish on Spotlight

MUST READ | Deep into the night while most of Cape Town is asleep, trauma surgeon Dr Deidre McPherson slips into work scrubs, hitting the highway to Groote Schuur Hospital to save the lives of critically injured patients. www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/10/03/b...

Good article by Catherine Tomlinson. One of the reasons Spotlight exists is to publish clear explainers like this on important but under covered health issues.