If the world had forgotten the importance of vaccines, COVID-19 has served as a stark reminder. Less than a year after the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), over a hundred vaccine candidates are under development and several large clinical trials are already under way, including some in South Africa. It is plausible that a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine will be available within the next year or two, although only time and properly conducted trials will tell.

While the almost 70% price reduction in important tuberculosis prevention drug Rifapentine for 100 countries with significant TB epidemics is a breakthrough, the high cost of newer drugs remains a barrier.

Despite being an ancient disease, tuberculosis (TB) remains the world’s leading infectious disease killer from a single infectious agent. For decades effective preventive therapy has existed, but has not been widely used. Recent optimism about a shorter and safer form of prevention therapy has been dampened because of its high price. While price negotiations continue behind closed doors, Spotlight asks when this new therapy will become available in South Africa.

Civil society groups are calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to attend a historic global tuberculosis (TB) meeting in September, as a show of political will in ending South Africa’s top killer.

South Africa is one of seven countries responsible for the majority of the world’s tuberculosis (TB) burden, according to the 2017 Global TB Report published last month. The goal, set by the World Health Assembly, to effectively end TB by 2035 will not be met unless the country meets its own targets.

For children with suspected tuberculosis (TB), diagnosis is difficult and can often be painful and complicated. In a vulnerable population where many kids are being missed new diagnostics are critical. Preliminary results from a South African trial have given experts in the field, and patients, a glimmer of hope.

Death rates have declined, largely due to successes in HIV, but a lot more needs to be done to defeat its “terrible twin”, tuberculosis (TB).

Shorter more effective treatment for drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is on the horizon.

After feeling ill for months, 16-year-old Sinethemba Kuse received the news that she had multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) from her local clinic in Khayelitsha outside of Cape Town in December last year.

Zuphe Ngwada’s eyes follow the movement of his shoes as they sway back and forth beneath him. Sitting on a bench, hands firmly gripping the metal frame on either side of his lap, Ngwada (21) stares at his sneakers as they disappear underneath the wooden planks only to jut out in front of him seconds later.