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10 September 2024
In people who inject drugs, survey reveals data on TB, Hepatitis C, and HIV prevalence across four study sites.
24 June 2024
The launch of our new newest Hub of Hope took place on Monday, 24 June 2024 at Mhlanga High School, located in Flagstaff under Ward 26 in OR Tambo. This hub, situated within the school, benefits both in-school and out-of-school youth. The event was graced by the presence of the local ward committee, school governing […]
6 June 2024
The 8th South African TB Conference takes place in Durban from 4 – 7 June 2024 under the theme ‘Accelerating progress to end TB’.
7 May 2024
On Tuesday, 7 May 2024 history was made at the KwaDlamini Sports ground, Ntabamhlope, Inkosi Langalibalele Municipality in uThukela District as South Africa proudly hosted the national launch of the groundbreaking U=U campaign.
7 May 2024
International Harm Reduction Day is marked on the 7th of May each year to advance – and advocate for – a harm reduction approach to drug use. For TB HIV Care CEO, Prof. Harry Hausler, harm reduction recognises that addiction often comes from a place of trauma and suffering. In response, arm reduction offers an […]
11 April 2024
On 11 April, a CDC Atlanta and Botswana delegation visited TB HIV Care’s Sex Worker Programme in eThekwini to benchmark best practices around programme implementation. TB HIV Care was represented by Chief Programme Officer, Dr Laurene Booyens; Key Populations Director, Mfezi Mcingana; Key Populations Quality Improvement Coordinator, Lorraine Moses; National Research Project Coordinator Chitra Singh; […]
10 April 2024
In a pilot project with the Department of Health and partner NPOs, TB HIV Care is rolling out vending machines as part of a new digital health initiative to expand access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) products – and increase uptake of condoms, lubricants and contraception to decrease teen pregnancy and HIV infection. The […]
25 March 2024
World leaders have committed to end TB as a public health threat by 2030. It’s an ambitious goal that requires providing life-saving treatment for up to 45 million people by 2027; providing TB preventive therapy for another 45 million people, including household contacts, children, and people living with HIV; and mobilising funding for the development […]
20 March 2024
On 20 March, the community of Paarl in the Western Cape convened to observe World TB Day. The heat soared to a sweltering 39 degrees, so a massive thanks to our WCG team from Malmesbury who coped with the intense heat to set up TB HIV Care’s stand – and deliver services to community members […]
8 March 2024
Anje Pretorius (M&E Director) attended the TB Reach Waves 9 and 10 Implementation workshop in Manila, Philippines, from 6-8 March 2024. TB HIV Care is a sub-recipient of TB Proof and implements a TB preventive therapy (TPT) expansion programme in Khayelitsha. The overall purpose of the meeting was to provide a learning opportunity between grantees […]
22 February 2024
On Friday morning, at the Crystal Towers Hotel in Cape Tower, PEPFAR hosted a two-hour special session designed to address the critical role of youth in ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The event was hybrid, with 3,000 youths joining online from around the world. Delegates in Cape Town included Ambassador Dr […]
18 February 2024
February is Sexual and Reproductive Health and Healthy Lifestyle Month in South Africa. It includes Condom Week, which ran from 12 to 18 February 2024. TB HIV Care’s SRH, STI Awareness and Condom Week activities hoped to address declining condom use as we encouraged people to be CondomWise! Our programmes all participated in SRH Month […]
15 February 2024
The Eastern Cape Department of Health hosted a health awareness day on 15th February at the Thobi Kula Indoor Sports Centre in Komani, located in the Chris Hani District, as part of a back-to-school campaign. TB HIV Care was honoured to be invited to participate in this important event, alongside esteemed guests such as MEC […]
2 February 2024
TB HIV Care’s Correctional Services Programme held a sensitisation training for the team on Friday, 02 February. Sensitisation is key to our service delivery and this recap training aimed to ensure staff competence in addressing inmate queries using appropriate language according to the latest CDC sensitisation curriculum. The virtual training covered sensitive topics, including sexuality, […]
8 December 2023
In the lead-up to World AIDS Day, members of the abaThembu Royal Family in OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape, led by His Majesty King Zwelibanzi Dalindyebo, decided to throw their weight behind a campaign that emphasises the importance of HIV treatment adherence and retention in care. Treatment adherence was just one of the […]
1 December 2023
On Friday, 1 December TB HIV Care attended a number of World AIDS Day events around the country, including the National Event in Mandeni, KZN; the Eastern Cape Provincial Event in Matatiele; and the Western Cape Provincial Event in Khayelitsha, where TB HIV Care joined the community in raising the voices of the youth, paving […]
9 November 2023
On Thursday, 09 November special guests, our Board of Directors, management team and ‘tenners’ (those hitting the 10-year service milestone at TB HIV Care during the last financial year) joined Prof. Harry Hausler at the Double Tree Hotel in Woodstock for TB HIV Care’s Annual Stakeholder Meeting (ASM). It’s an important event on our annual […]
26 October 2023
South African Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, supported by THC PPPrev leadership, officially launched the Malangeni Hub of Hope on Thursday, 26 October in Lusikisiki in OR Tambo. PPPrev Director Jenny Mcloughlin, OR Tambo Regional Manager Luzuko Tosh and PPPrev Technical Advisor Thobeka Mchunu represented TB HIV Care. The event introduced the Hub of Hope […]
29 September 2023
All eyes were on New York last week as the United Nations General Assembly hosted ‘High-level Week 2023’, which included a summit to review the implementation of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals as well as high-level meetings on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (20 September), Universal Health Coverage (21 September), and the Fight against Tuberculosis (22 […]
27 September 2023
The Fast Track Cities conference was held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from September 25th to 27th, 2023. Originating in December 2014, the Fast-Track Cities partnership has grown to include more than 500 cities and municipalities committed to expediting their local responses to HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and viral hepatitis. Their aim is to attain the Sustainable Development […]
6 September 2023
On Wednesday, 6 September the Eastern Cape Department of Health hosted the African Traditional Medicines (ATM) Day in the Amathole district – an annual event that rotates from province to province. This year’s theme was “The Contribution of Traditional Medicines to Holistic Health and Well-Being for All.” For the past two decades, 31 August has […]
31 August 2023
On 31 August 2023, the TB HIV Care PPPrev Team joined the Deputy Minister of Health, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, at the launch of a new inter-departmental campaign in eThekwini. The campaign, led by the Department of Basic Education and supported by TB HIV Care, aims to end social ills such as violence, bullying, gender-based violence, learner […]
18 August 2023
TB HIV Care, in partnership with the eThekwini Municipality, launched the ‘0% Learner Pregnancy’ campaign on 17 August 2023. The school-based campaign was officially launched by the eThekwini Municipality Mayor, His Worship Cllr Mxolisi Kaunda, at Isolemamba High School in Durban. The initiative follows a spike in teenage pregnancy statistics in KwaZulu-Natal, which reported over 26 000 […]
1 August 2023
Chants of “U=U. Undetectable equals untransmittable” rang out in Mitchell’s Plain on Tuesday, 01 August, as MEC for Health and Wellness in the Western Cape, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, led a community walk through the streets of Westville before the official launch of the province’s U=U Campaign. It was an important day for the province, and […]
12 July 2023
South Africa is committed to reaching the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2025, whereby 95% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) know their status, 95% of those are on sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of people receiving treatment are virally suppressed. In 2023 in South Africa, 92% of PLHIV know their status, 77% of those […]
30 May 2023
TB HIV Care’s PWID Programme celebrated the launch of the Centre of Excellence, a key population-friendly health services centre at Skinner Clinic, Tshwane District Hospital, on Tuesday, 30 May 2023. The new centre will ensure vulnerable populations, including PWID/PWUD, MSM and female sex workers have easy access to friendly, inclusive and non-judgemental healthcare services. These […]
24 March 2023
World TB Day on Friday, 24 March saw the launch of South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (2023-2028) at a commemoration event at the Tlhabane Stadium in Rustenburg. TB HIV Care’s CEO, Prof. Harry Hausler, joined the event which was held under the banner of ‘Yes! You and I can End […]
9 March 2023
Did you know that males in South Africa are 1,6 times more likely to have TB than females? That’s 1,094 per 100,000 vs 675 per 100,000 respectively, according to the 2019 TB Prevalence Survey. One of the findings of the South African Community, Rights and Gender Assessment was that while information about biological sex is collected at facility-level, […]
7 December 2022
1 December 2022 The MEC for Health for the Eastern Cape is expected to join thousands of people at a gathering on December 10 at OR Tambo House for the unveiling of the first GBV (gender-based violence) memorial wall in the Eastern Cape. The wall is being built right next door to the City Municipality […]
28 October 2022
Aviro Health + TB HIV Care: Increasing the Uptake of HIV Self-Testing in Healthcare Facilities Scaling up digitally supported self-care through the Aviro Pocket ClinicPlatform. Tags: #digitalhealth #socialimpact #telehealth #healthtech #innovation Cape Town, South Africa: Aviro Health is pleased to announce the successful partnership with TB HIV Care in the Eastern Cape, South African. This partnership […]
12 September 2022
Date: Thurs, 15th Sept Time: 20h00-21h00 Online reviews for businesses and products are a growing industry with some researchers suggesting that a big enough collection of those 5-star ratings can boost customer spend[1]. Can TB health services also benefit from similar user-level oversight and feedback? Community-led monitoring enables end users of health services to provide data […]
12 September 2022
Date: Fri, 16th Sept Time: 20h00-21h00 How far are we from a more effective TB vaccine and how important is it? Will using geographical information systems to map TB hotspots and computer assisted digital chest X-rays to screen people for TB help find more people with TB? Are shorter drug regimens available and how can […]
22 July 2022
To mark World Hepatitis Day, organisations from across South Africa are teaming up to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, which kills 200,000 people across Africa every year. A virtual event – Storytelling for Advocacy – will shine a spotlight on the people impacted by viral hepatitis, and demonstrate the power personal stories can have on […]
18 July 2022
To commemorate Mandela Day 2022, 18 July, TB HIV Care, a non profit organisation working to prevent, find and treat TB and HIV and other major diseases, partnered with acclaimed visual artist, Lionel Davis to speak about mental health and art through an online Facebook Live event. Lionel Davis grew up in District Six where […]
22 June 2022
In the first week of June 2022, Prof Harry Hausler visited Geneva, Switzerland, in his role as a member of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Civil Society Task Force on TB (CSTF). This body exists to “mainstream the voices of TB civil society and survivors in the work of WHO, national TB programmes and multisectoral […]
22 November 2021
Science tells us that HIV positive people on uninterrupted ARV treatment can get to a point where they cannot transmit the virus, as long as they remain on treatment. U=U, meaning ‘undetectable equals untransmittable’ is a groundbreaking campaign that promises HIV+ people that once viral suppression is reached, the virus cannot be transmitted to their […]
22 September 2021
The Young, Wild and Free Programme (YWFP) is a pilot project which began in March 2020 as a research study which was conducted among young key populations. The purpose of the study was to determine the gaps that young key populations have in terms of sexual reproductive health and harm reduction services. In the subsequent […]
22 September 2021
Providing economic opportunities are a critical way to reduce the vulnerability of adolescent girls and young women, both to coercive or transactional sex, as well as to HIV infection. The Training Unit was able to assist the PPPrev Programme to put this idea of economic strengthening into action to help protect AGYW. The Training Unit […]
22 August 2021
The Bereka Girl (translated to English, it means ‘Work, Girl’) campaign encourages sex workers to enrol in a cellphone-based support programme during the first three months of their PrEP journey. Sex Worker Programme teams have found the first few months to be the hardest to retain sex workers on PrEP. A USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service […]
28 July 2021
The National Department of Health (NDoH), through its Sub Recipient (SR), TB HIV Care (NPO) requires the services of a supplier to provide food parcels to TB patients. The NDoH has appointed TB HIV Care, an SR, to issue the tender on behalf of the grant. TB HIV Care will handle all communication in this […]
26 July 2021
Date: Tuesday, 17 August 2021 Time: 18:00 CAT Hashtag to use: #TBHIVCare Where: Twitter Moderating account: @TBHIVCare Topic: Does ‘just saying no’ to drugs and alcohol work for young people ? Join us for a 60-minute session with our panel experts. All stakeholders including healthcare workers, abstinent and the public etc. locally and globally are welcome. The public transcript will be […]
17 June 2021
Youth Day on 16 June is a public holiday in South Africa and commemorates a protest which is known as the Soweto uprising of 1976. Thousands of black students protested against an official order which made Afrikaans compulsory in black township schools throughout the country by marching from their schools to Orlando Stadium. When the police responded, many […]
14 June 2021
Date: Monday, 21 June 2021 Time: 18:00 CAT Hashtag to use: #TBHIVCare Where: Twitter Moderating account: @TBHIVCare Topic: How does GBV affect your vulnerability to HIV? Join us for a 60-minute session with our panel experts. All stakeholders including healthcare workers, survivors and the public etc. locally and globally are welcome. The public transcript will be recorded by Symplur. T1: What […]
22 April 2021
South Africa was placed under National Alert Level 5 lockdown on March 26, 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. From the onset, community health workers (CHWs) were the foot soldiers at the forefront of the country’s response, continuing with their usual care services as well as adopting new ones – performing surveillance activities […]
2 April 2021
In March 2021, Dr John Blandford (CDC Country Director), led a delegation to Xhora CHC and Stanford clinic in Amathole and OR Tambo districts, respectively, to review the status of both facilities in the implementation of 95-95-95 indicators. Before the facility visit, an in-brief meeting was convened and attended by a provincial, district and facility […]
18 March 2021
In support of the national theme for World TB Day 2021 The clock is ticking to find, treat and end TB, TB HIV Care is asking the country, to “sound the alarm. Raise your voice and make a noise to show that time is running out to meet our commitments to end TB.” We’re asking you to commit to sound […]
5 February 2021
Vaccination has saved millions of lives and is one of the most successful public health interventions the world has ever seen. Vaccinating our children is one of the key acts we as parents take to ensure their health. Many people have questions about the new COVID-19 vaccine that has just arrived in South Africa and […]
1 October 2020
PROCUREMENT TENDER: THC/NDOH-10/2020-02: Appointment of a service provider to supply personal protective equipment The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly spread across the globe, threatening to reverse the gains achieved in the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria diseases. […]
24 July 2020
Earlier in 2020, TB HIV Care participated in a film exploring the experiences of people who use drugs, particularly in relation to viral hepatitis. For World Hepatitis Day 2020, 28th July, a virtual event will be held to launch the film, ‘Connecting with Care’ by film maker Conor Ashleigh, and to highlight the impact COVID-19 has […]
20 July 2020
In the spirit of Ubuntu, remembering South Africa’s late father of freedom and the call to “take action and inspire change”, TB HIV Care launched the ‘Care Fund’ on Mandela Day, 18 July 2020. This fund seeks to encourage individual giving on an ongoing basis to provide support to TB HIV Care’s community health worker […]
16 July 2020
Opportunity Closing Date: 31 July 2020 Opportunity Type: Call for Proposals Calling all bidders for the appointment of a service provider to provide Indoor Mechanically Ventilated Sputum Collection Booths to be installed in healthcare facilities located in eThekwini. TENDER SUMMARY Issuer: TB HIV CARE Tender Reference: Ref: THC/SB/07/2020/10 Sector: Health Closing Date: 31 July 2020 Issuing Date: 24 July 2020 Region: KZN Online […]
5 June 2020
2020 marks the 7th year that TB HIV Care has been working at the frontlines of harm reduction in South Africa. TB HIV Care accompanied on this journey by Mainline, have provided financial, technical and emotional support to move forward policy and programmes for people who use drugs (PWUD) in South Africa and most importantly […]
8 May 2020
The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first reported on 31 December 2019 by the World Health Organization following a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been confirmed as the causative virus of COVID-19. COVID-19 has become a global pandemic, and it […]
30 April 2020
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of mortality in South Africa particularly amongst people living with HIV. One of the risk factors that contribute to mortality among people with TB disease is poor adherence to treatment. Household food insecurity is highlighted as being one of the underlying causes of poor adherence to treatment. […]
27 March 2020
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the management of it may be experienced as stressful by some people, and can have an effect on mental health. The World Health Organization (WHO) released advice on protecting your mental health during the coronavirus outbreak to help manage fear and anxiety, and the Psychological Society of South […]
27 March 2020
Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, MEC for Health in the Western Cape, lit up a small gathering at the South African Parliament on Tuesday night with a short, rousing speech, and then flicked a switch that lit up the whole building in red. Welcoming the MEC and Mzwandile Panziso, who was representing the South African National Aids […]
13 March 2020
Civil Society from several districts met at the Lentegeur Conference Centre between 04 and 05 March, to engage on the representation of the Western Cape Provincial Council on AIDS at SANAC meetings. It provided sector members with valuable understanding and training on SANAC objectives and procedures but also focused on the election of sector and […]
21 February 2020
Last week was Condom Week. It is a critical week on the health calendar as it is used to educate the public on STIs and how to prevent them through condom use. Our vision is to be the leader in empowering communities to be healthy and free of TB and HIV. To achieve our vision, […]
31 January 2020
More than a year ago, to identify how many women were not accessing services and the reasons why, SANPUD conducted an informal needs assessment through focus groups with women you use drugs. The aim was to identify what services they need and whether women-focused groups would be beneficial. TB HIV Care adopted the findings from […]
5 December 2019
The Western Cape MEC for Health, Prof Nomafrench Mbombo, opened a drop-in centre for people who inject drugs in central Cape Town on Wednesday, the 4th December 2019. The centre, run by NGO TB HIV Care’s Step Up Project, is part of a recent approach to people who use drugs that seeks to reduce the […]
1 December 2019
Stigma surrounding HIV remains a ‘serious barrier’ to adherence to care and treatment, according to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC). However the Khayelitsha community took steps to end stigma and support the 16 days of activism against violence against women and children this World AIDS Day by inviting Cape Town to participate in the Red […]
29 November 2019
On Wednesday, Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, who is also the Chairperson of the Provincial AIDS Council, announced that he would undergo an HIV test and the associated counselling, in the run-up to World AIDS Day. The aim was to encourage people to take responsibility for their health, and find out their status TB HIV […]
11 November 2019
Before February 2019, at Holy Cross Gateway Clinic, everyone was waiting. Nurses were waiting for more than two hours for patients to come to their consulting rooms, while at reception, patients were also waiting – on average five to six hours. But a deceptively simple filing solution, and a lot of hard work, cleared the […]
28 September 2019
On Thursday, 26th September 2019, TB HIV Care was approved as a non-voting member of the World Hepatitis Alliance. This is part of TB HIV Care’s strategy to broaden its focus to include other major diseases, and viral hepatitis in particular. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hepatitis B and C cause about 1.3 […]
16 August 2019
From the 12th – 16th of August 2019, Zoë-Life provided master training for 18 TB HIV Care and Department of Health (DoH) staff, including professional nurses, social workers and training coordinators. Zoë-Life is an organisation focused on bringing health, wellness and personal development to children, youth and families. Zoë-Life was contracted by TB HIV Care […]
30 July 2019
On Tuesday, 30 July 2019, TB HIV Care hosted a graduation ceremony for its new Health Promotion Officers in Khayelitsha. In May 2017, 14 community health workers (CHWs) from Khayelitsha were assessed and selected to attend a leanership, which was funded by the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA). This group of […]
26 July 2019
TB HIV Care was well represented at the 10th IAS Conference on HIV Science, which took place from 21 July to 24 July 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. The IAS Conference on HIV Science is the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and features diverse topics, speakers and cutting-edge studies. TB HIV Care’s Prof. […]
10 July 2019
On Monday, 08 July and Tuesday, 09 July 2019, TB HIV Care (in our role as secretariat to the SA TB Caucus) co-hosted a TB Advocacy Workshop with SANAC (The South African National AIDS Council) at the Double Tree Hotel in Woodstock. The workshop (which included local, regional and international delegates) focused on capacitating and […]
25 June 2019
This Mandela Day, TB HIV Care is running a fundraising campaign to bring early childhood learning to kids hospitalised with TB. Why it’s important: Children hospitalised with TB may spend 6 months in hospital, sometimes a year. Without an on-site educare centre, kids under five will spend every day of those months in a cot, […]
19 June 2019
TB HIV Care hosted an exhibition stand at the 9th SA AIDS Conference in Durban last week. It was an unforgettable experience, a whirlwind of networking, workshops, track sessions, plenaries, social media and more. The concept for TB HIV Care’s stand was simple, we wanted a space where people could meet, discuss different programmes and projects […]
4 June 2019
SA AIDS Conference 2019: Tweetchat 3 What keeps stigma alive, and can innovation help to end it? Moderator: Vanessa Carter (Health Care Social Media and Communications South Africa) Date: Thursday, 13 June 2019 Time: 13:30 – 14:30 (SAST) Hashtags: #TBHIVCare #StopStigma How to participate: Start your answers with […]
4 June 2019
Can data save lives? Exploring how data can help reach epidemic control Moderator: Vanessa Carter (Health Care Social Media and Communications South Africa) Date: Tuesday, 11 June 2019 Time: 13:30 – 14:30 (SAST) Hashtags: #TBHIVCare #DataSavesLives How to participate: Start your answers with T1, T2, T3, T4 or […]
4 June 2019
SA AIDS Conference 2019: Tweetchat 2 Men Matter. How can we better involve men in the HIV response? Moderator: Vanessa Carter (Health Care Social Media and Communications South Africa) Date: Wednesday, 12 June 2019 Time: 13:30 – 14:30 (SAST) Hashtags: #TBHIVCare #MenMatter How to participate: Start your […]
22 May 2019
TB HIV Care’s inaugural ‘Red Lace Race’ took place in Khayelitsha on Saturday, 01 December last year to mark World AIDS Day 2018. The event saw a relatively small turn-out, but ran smoothly (with wonderful support from the City of Cape Town) and great fun was had by all. TB HIV Care has big plans […]
30 April 2019
The ‘Siyenza Sprint’ campaign (building on the momentum of February Frenzy and March Madness) in Amathole, aimed to increase testing (‘Know Your Status’), strengthen linkage to care (universal test and treat) and support retention in care (to ensure viral suppression). There was unprecedented support for the Siyenza Sprint (including a provincial road show across all […]
28 April 2019
Andrew Scheibe (Technical Advisor), Tara Gerardy (Psychosocial and Opioid Substitution Therapy Project Coordinator), Shaun Shelly (PWUD Projects, Policy, Advocacy & Human Rights Manager), Charity Monareng (Parliamentary and Policy Research Officer) and Julie MacDonell (SA Drug Policy Week/ Psychosocial Principal Administrator and Counsellor) represented TB HIV Care at the 2019 International Harm Reduction Conference in Porto, […]
12 April 2019
On Sunday, 27 January, Katherine Brittin (CSP Programme Manager) flew up to Pretoria to hand deliver TB HIV Care’s NDOH (Global Fund) Notice of Funding Opportunity application – the deadline for application was 28 January 2019. TB HIV Care was successful in the application and has been appointed to serve as a sub-recipient for the […]
2 April 2019
On Wednesday, 27 March 2019, TB HIV Care’s Correctional Services Programme (CSP) team was invited to attend the annual Pollsmoor boxing tournament. The boxing tournament, which was held at the Remand Detention Facility, marked World TB Day (24 March) – and formed the backdrop for an appreciation ceremony for TB HIV Care’s HAST Counsellors (who […]
29 March 2019
On Sunday, 24 March, St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town was lit up in red to mark World TB Day 2019. It was part of the Stop TB Partnership’s international campaign to shine a spotlight on tuberculosis: Light up the World in Red to End TB. St George’s Cathedral was chosen as a symbol of […]
11 March 2019
TB HIV Care was invited to partner with the National Department of Health (NDOH) on a Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) grant. Asanda Ngoasheng (Project Manager) and Chanelle Munick (Project Administrator) joined the team to manage the three-month campaign. The campaign is aimed at three target markets, namely adolescent girls and young women (15-24), […]
8 March 2019
On Tuesday, 05 March, TB HIV Care (THC) received a notification of award for an exciting new community project to be implemented in the Eastern Cape from 01 April 2019. The Eastern Cape Community Collaborative Cancer Initiative, as the project is known, is the second THC project to be funded by Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF) […]
2 March 2019
TB HIV Care’s community-based HAST Counsellors – linked to the CDC HIV Prevention Programme – successfully transitioned from paper-based HIV Testing Services (HTS) forms to a mobile, digital HTS data collection platform called Lynx-HCT. TB HIV Care began the shift to Lynx-HCT in early 2019 and by 01 March all teams were using the new […]
1 March 2019
TB HIV Care, led by Mandisa Mona (Advanced Clinical Care Facilitator), joined a team of ten delegates, including representatives from TB HIV Care’s Chris Hani district office, SEAD and the Chris Hani District Department of Health (DOH), on a four-day visit (26 February – 01 March) to Durban. The trip was organised by CAPRISA. The […]
25 February 2019
The Amathole District Department of Health (DoH) has embarked on the Thuma Mina (Send Me) project, which aims to bring health services to far-flung, rural communities. The campaign had activities planned for three days in Mnquma Local Municipality (Amathole) from 18- 21 February. Gcina, with seven villages and Chebe with six villages were the areas identified in […]
19 February 2019
The Informal Settlements Programme (IS) provides the comprehensive prevention package (CPP), including TB screening and testing, HIV testing and counselling and STI screening, to contacts of TB cases and community members in three informal settlements in the Eastern Cape: Dimbaza, Duncan Village and Reeston. TB HIV Care, in partnership with the Pedal Power Association (PPA), […]
5 February 2019
Representatives from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the US Government are currently being hosted at TB HIV Care’s Head Office in Cape Town. Their role is to conduct audits linked to work completed in COP16 and COP17 under the PEPFAR (CDC) grant. The OIG is keen to witness outreaches, conduct site visits and […]
25 January 2019
Amathole in the Eastern Cape has been chosen as one of the districts to pilot HIV Self-Screening (HIVSS) within the district. The chosen sub-district in Amathole is Amahlathi. The five pilot facilities in Amahlathi are: Peddie Extension clinic SS Gida Gateway Kubusi clinic Frankfort clinic Komga clinic. TB HIV Care committed to provide HIVSS test […]
18 January 2019
TB HIV Care’s Drop-in Centre in eThekwini provides support, healthcare services and treatment to sex workers within our community. Over the years we have worked hard to ensure that the centre is a safe space for sex workers, where their needs are met and their voices are heard. On the 10th of January 2019, we […]
1 December 2018
For an organisation that works in the field of HIV every day, World AIDS Day can descend like a double-edged sword. On this one day, the attention of media houses, politicians, government departments and businesses focuses sharply on HIV. Our mobile teams are booked up months in advance and we hussle and strain to meet […]
30 November 2018
TB HIV Care joined The City of Cape Town, the Department of Health and a group of Khayelitsha NGOs (including MSF, SWEAT, Grassroot Soccer, Desmond Tutu) in Khayelitsha on Friday, 30 November for a World AIDS Day event at the Solomon Mahlangu Hall. The national theme for World AIDS Day is Cheka Impilo, Know Your Status. […]
26 November 2018
On Monday, 26 November, TB HIV Care’s Doctor Kenneth Kaunda (DKK) Key Populations – Sex Worker Programme site was assessed for its capacity to provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Key assessment objectives included: To assess the facility in the quality management of HIV and TB To assess implementation of the NSP HIV, […]
23 November 2018
The first meeting of the Coordinating Body of the SA TB Caucus was held on Friday 23 November. The meeting was co-chaired by Hon. Dunjwa and Hon. Dlamini and a number of decisions were made about the format and work of the caucus going forward. The caucus has already shown it’s value. Hon. Dlamini called […]
23 November 2018
With only one week to go until World AIDS Day 2108, TB HIV Care joined a number of a organisations (including We Beat TB and SFH) in supporting the Western Cape Department of Health’s activation on Thibault Square this morning – bringing testing, screening and other health care services directly to the heart of the […]
22 November 2018
What do human rights have to do with health? If you think about it, quite a lot. Many reasons people don’t access care are a result of human rights violations. These can be anything from a policeman breaking the needle of someone who injects drugs thereby putting them at risk of blood-borne diseases, to someone […]
14 November 2018
This week the Stop TB Partnership announced the theme for World TB Day 2019: It’s Time A simple but powerful theme, it is also a call to action. Following on from the first-ever UN High Level Meeting on TB in September, the launch of the SA TB Caucus, and the 49th Union World Conference on Lung Health, which took […]
7 November 2018
The provincial launch of World AIDS Day 2018 took place in Uitenhage on Wednesday, 07 November. The event was divided into three parts: A political briefing from 08h00 – 09h30 Formal proceedings A taxi rank activation The formal proceedings took place just in front of the Municipal Town Hall. The Executive Mayor of the Metro, […]
1 November 2018
The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) invited TB HIV Care (represented by Gareth Lowndes and an HTS team) to join them on Thursday, 01 November for a formal meeting. The meeting took place at the MJC headquarters in Athlone. Gareth was welcomed by MJC President, SH Irafaan Abrahams, the first and second Deputy Presidents, and was […]
19 October 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by: Shaun Shelly (PWUD Projects, Policy, Advocacy & Human Rights Manager) The third SA Drug Policy Week was held from 8 – 12 October 2018, but it is not over. Once again, we brought many of the most important drug policy stakeholders, influencers and makers into the same room to hear from, and exchange […]
18 October 2018
On Thursday, 18 October, TB HIV Care joined the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) and other organisations to celebrate diversity and create awareness of the LGBTQI+ community at UKZN’s Pietermaritzburg campus. Health formed a big part of the day, as October is Mental Health Awareness Month. People identifying as LGBTQI+ often deal with different mental health […]
15 October 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by: Alison Best (Communications Manager) Apparently New Yorkers hate it when the United Nations General Assembly is in session. I can understand why. Hotel prices in the city that hosts the headquarters of the United Nations skyrocket, roads close and the already heavy traffic becomes gridlocked. In the midst of this, the […]
28 September 2018
The Strand Street Drop-in Centre has relocated it’s PWID team to Woodstock. The new site needed a face-lift and clients were included (and instrumental) in the design and artwork for the centre. The Woodstock site will be called ‘The Rufus Laverlott Community Care Centre’ – named after a service user and previous outreach peer who […]
21 September 2018
What policies, laws or practices impact on people’s ability to access health services, particularly TB services, discriminate against people with TB, or make certain groups more vulnerable to contracting TB? Submit your experiences to: alison@tbhivcare.org Your submissions will contribute towards the assessment of the legal environment of South Africa in the response to TB , and […]
10 September 2018
TB HIV Care’s AGM takes place on Wednesday, 19 September at 2pm. Members of the public are welcome to attend. RSVP: mandy@tbhivcare.org
4 September 2018
TB HIV Care has been appointed to act as the secretariat for the South African TB Caucus. The SA TB Caucus, officially launched on Tuesday, 04 September, is the local chapter of the Global TB Caucus, which consists of over 2 300 parliamentarians from 130 countries around the world. TB HIV Care was at Parliament […]
15 August 2018
TB HIV Care aims to create an organisational culture in which diversity is encouraged and valued. As enshrined in section nine of the South African Constitution, we condemn unfair discrimination, directly or indirectly, against anyone on the basis of on one or more grounds, including race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, […]
14 August 2018
The World Hepatitis Day Provincial Events (Durban, Cape Town, East London, Polokwane and Pretoria) concluded on Tuesday, 14 August 2018. TB HIV Care hosted the final event, in collaboration with the NDOH, at the NDOH’s Impilo Boardroom in the Civitas building, Pretoria. The event included: A talk, ‘Secure the Future’, from Ms Phangisile Mtshali Manciya […]
14 August 2018
The Global State of Harm Reduction Report (2018) has just been released – it shows progress and challenges around accessing evidence-based interventions for people who use and inject drugs, including needle and syringe services and opioid substitution therapy, including progress and challenges in South Africa and work done by TB HIV Care, OUT, Anova and […]
10 August 2018
On Friday, 10 August, in celebration of Women’s month, TB HIV Care recognised women in the communities in which we work with hampers (care packages) – to say thank you for the work they do, for their support of our clients and their selfless dedication to creating safe spaces for their neighbours. Miriam Mdoda – […]
9 August 2018
On National Women’s Day, Prof. Harry Hausler (CEO) headed to Johannesburg to speak to the Pan-African Parliament TB Caucus on how parliamentarians can work with civil society to end TB. Harry presented his ideas about the three key ways civil society can contribute to the response to TB: by implementing services (particularly to hard-to-reach populations), […]
7 August 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by John Mutsambi (HIVP (Prep) Technical Lead) This year’s World Aids Day theme was ‘Know Your Status’ and it was aptly chosen given that UNAIDS estimates that more than 9.4 million people living with HIV do not know their status. This message – know your HIV status – applies to everyone including […]
3 August 2018
On the 2nd and 3rd of August 2018, Laurene Booyens (TB HIV Care’s Care & Treatment Programme Manager) and Gareth Lowndes (Chief Operating Officer) held inaugural meetings with Health Systems Trust (HST), permanent staff and affiliated community-based organisations in Mthatha and Queenstown. They were joined on both days by Sibongile Shezi, HST’s National Project Coordinator. […]
31 July 2018
Due to the historically discriminatory political landscape of South Africa, key populations have been largely stigmatised, rejected and overlooked. Their own voices and opinions were not included in any of the decision-making processes that concerned their well-being – they were the ‘unseen’ and ‘unheard’. Until recently, the PWUD community has had very limited access to […]
26 July 2018
Funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation, The viral hepatitis C initiative for key populations in South Africa is a cross-sectional study led by TB HIV Care, in partnership with Anova Health Institute, OUT Well-being, The National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the Division of Hepatology at the University of Cape Town. Study findings are now being disseminated […]
25 July 2018
TB HIV Care staff from head office and Khayelitsha spent Mandela Day in Khayelitsha. Some teams spent 67 minutes (and more!) painting house numbers in Harare. A lack of visible street numbers is a huge problem in Khayelitsha, as emergency services (paramedics, ambulances, police etc.) struggle to find addresses in emergency situations. TB HIV Care identified certain areas […]
11 July 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by: Shaun Shelly (PWUD Projects, Policy, Advocacy and Human Rights Manager) Life as a ‘drug policy’ person is, perhaps not surprisingly, full of highs and lows. Here are some examples from the last few weeks: HIGH: The City of Tshwane became the first city in South Africa to fund the implementation of harm […]
3 July 2018
Nontobeko Makhosonke works at a new facility that was opened in 2014. Because a lot of staff are new, the HAST Counsellors in the facility have found that they receive many different orders from many different directions which can be challenging. Nontobeko’s line manager, Jessica Mvelase, commends her for having the strength to politely refuse […]
29 June 2018
The South African TB Caucus is the local chapter of the Global TB Caucus, which consists of over 2 300 parliamentarians from 130 countries around the world. The SA TB Caucus exists to raise awareness of the TB epidemic and support efforts to accelerate the elimination of TB by 2030 (which is in line with […]
29 June 2018
TB HIV Care has learnt of a letter with false statements allegedly written by an employee of the organisation. The letter has been distributed via email and WhatsApp. The content of this letter has been reported to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further investigation. While […]
18 May 2018
TB HIV Care is in the process of designing and implementing an Informal Settlements Project in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (Eastern Cape). Essentially the project will bring a comprehensive prevention package of services (HIV, TB and STIs) to informal settlements which need it the most. On Thursday the 17th of May, the National Department […]
11 May 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by Sithembiso Mabasa (Community Liaison Officer) TB HIV Care (THC) started a VMMC programme in OR Tambo District in the Eastern Cape in 2012. Back then it was still taboo to even speak about medical male circumcision (MMC). The first time we kick-started the programme in Lusikisiki we (Zolani Barnes, Kwezi Shumi […]
11 May 2018
Staff blog. Submitted by: John Mutsambi (PrEP Coordinator) Community peer mobilisers and educators are the most important communication tool for health promotion and uptake of the different HIV prevention options that science has availed. To hone the skills of these front-line health workers, who are working with adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in uMgungundlovu […]
20 April 2018
Prof. Harry Hausler, TB HIV Care’s CEO, recently represented TB HIV Care at the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Country Operational Plan (COP) 18 Approval Meeting in Washington DC. Invited participants included representatives from PEPFAR Country and Headquarter teams, Global Civil Society Organisations, Multilateral Organisations, the Global Fund, and Ministries of Health. […]
18 April 2018
On Wednesday, 18 April, TB HIV Care launched our new Social Innovations Network. The project, led by Simone Van Willingh (Public-Private Partnership Coordinator) aims to explore the potential of public-private partnerships (PPPs), to look at different financing models and ultimately to build a network of passionate businesses, companies and individuals who can collaborate and […]
6 April 2018
TB HIV Care Head Office has now moved into its new home on 11 Eleven Adderley Street – which brings to an end months of planning and preparation. The vibe in the office on Wednesday was upbeat, with staff excited to be a part of this new chapter in the story of TB HIV Care. […]
30 March 2018
On the 30th March, TB/HIV Care and the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) held an event to highlight and share the successes achieved in the TB/HIV programme in Pollsmoor. The honourable Western Cape Minister of Health, Nomafrench Mbombo, participated in the event; helping to cut the ribbon on a brand new digital X-Ray machine which […]
24 March 2018
PRESS RELEASE: Table Mountain lit up red to mark World TB Day 23 March 2018 TB HIV Care, together with the National Department of Health and Table Mountain National Park, join Stop TB Partnership’s global initiative to “Light up the World for TB”. This year, on World Tuberculosis (TB) Day (24 March), the Stop TB […]
24 March 2018
TB HIV Care, the National Department of Health and Table Mountain National Park, joined Stop TB Partnership’s global initiative to “Light up the World for TB” by lighting Table Mountain red on Saturday evening, 24 March. This year 60 landmarks in 44 cities in 21 countries around the world were lit up to demonstrate a […]
22 March 2018
Tuberculosis: Frequently asked questions Tuberculosis (TB) is still one of the most stigmatised, feared and misunderstood diseases in the world. Many people don’t know the facts, recognise the symptoms or know when to be screened for TB. Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is an air-borne disease (spread […]
16 March 2018
The latest Capetonians to rally behind TB HIV Care’s Man Up campaign are legendary drifter, Malikah Daniels, and her husband, top local DJ, Ready D. Drifting is an edgy sport, gaining in popularity in the Western Cape. Drifting events and competitions attract a predominantly male audience (perfect for our Man Up campaign) but the sport […]
23 February 2018
TB HIV Care shares the City of eThekwini’s interest in creating a safe, healthy and inclusive city. TB HIV Care is a non-profit health organisation that aims to prevent, find and treat TB and HIV and other major diseases. TB HIV Care’s work includes comprehensive HIV prevention services such as voluntary medical male circumcision, HIV […]
23 February 2018
There are many areas in South Africa that need sustained and focused attention if they are to meet UNAIDS’ 90-90-90 targets. One such area is Amathole. TB HIV Care’s HTS campaign in Amathole is a strong call to action: Get tested, get treated SHA’P SHA’P. The SHA’P (which also stands for our ‘Stop HIV Action […]
14 December 2017
World AIDS Day is marked on 1 December every year. It is an important day on our calendar. A day to shine the spotlight on HIV, re-ignite important conversations, share how it affects us all and (particularly for this year’s campaign) focus on how we can prevent the spread of HIV. Theme The South African […]
17 November 2017
The latest WHO Global TB Report released on the 30th October 2017 states that South Africa could have up to 10 000 cases of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) – TB that does not respond to the regimen of drugs usually used to treat it. TB Proof, a TB advocacy group, has asked those working with and […]
5 October 2017
TB HIV Care’s Deon Martin, together with a team of 10 mobilisers, enters Manenberg (a suburb on the Cape Flats) once a week to raise awareness around voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). They distribute flyers, pin up posters and discuss the benefits of undergoing the VMMC procedure with the community. But all is not as […]
1 October 2017
On the 1st October TB/HIV Care Association (THCA) transformed into TB HIV Care (THC), and from a non-profit organisation to a non-profit company. New form promises even stronger governance As a non-profit company, TB HIV Care will be governed by the Companies’ Act of 2008. This means that the organisation will be subject to more […]
17 August 2017
Photo Credit: Community Media Trust TB/HIV Care’s vision is clear: to empower all communities (wherever they are and whoever they might be) to be healthy and free of TB and HIV. This includes high-risk or vulnerable populations, for example, sex workers, inmates and people who inject drugs. Noone can be left behind. One of South […]
27 July 2017
Friday the 28th July will mark World Hepatitis Day. Hepatitis B is endemic in South Africa, but up until now, little has been known about the local prevalence of hepatitis C, especially in high-risk populations such as men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who use drugs. Today an ongoing study has […]
21 September 2016
Is medical male circumcision safe? Any surgical procedure carries risks, and medical male circumcision is a minor surgical procedure. However, because the procedure is conducted with sterile equipment by qualified personnel and follow up care is provided, the risk of any adverse event (or complication) is extremely low. If you experience excessive bleeding or pain […]
7 September 2016
Inmates around the world are at higher risk for both TB and HIV. This week in Brandvlei correctional centre, TB/HIV Care will launch the local arm of a new Southern African study to help HIV positive inmates stay healthy. In May 2016, the South African Government announced it will be adopting the World Health Organisation’s […]
5 September 2016
Deon Martin started as a community mobiliser with TB/HIV Care Association (THCA) in 2015 and is currently a driver for the False Bay and Dunoon medical male circumcision (MMC) teams. Deon left school in grade 11, but says he was partly inspired to study for his matric when he started working for THCA and saw […]
20 August 2016
JOHN MUTSAMBI writes: Despite having the biggest HIV epidemic in the world, South Africa continues to make remarkable progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS. The country has become a hub of HIV prevention research and it has the largest anti-retroviral therapy (ART) programme in the world. On 1 June, 2016, a national programme […]
28 July 2016
A consortium of partners is undertaking a viral hepatitis service provision and research project for key populations (people who inject drugs, sex workers and men who have sex with men) in South Africa. The study will assess information gaps on populations disproportionately affected by viral hepatitis and provide an evidence base to guide future interventions. […]
22 July 2016
Durban was the centre of the HIV and TB world’s attention this week as the International AIDS Society hosted both the TB Conference 2016 (incorporating the biennial South African TB Conference), and the 21st International AIDS Conference 2016 in the city. TB/HIV Care was engaged in a variety of activities to raise the importance of […]
24 June 2016
CAPE TOWN, June 23 – On the eve of the International AIDS Conference in Durban (July 18–22), an exhibition of 17 quilts made by people affected by HIV told the story of what has been achieved since the last time the conference was held in South Africa in the year 2000. TB/HIV Care Association unveiled […]
1 June 2016
Today, TB/HIV Care’s eThekwini sex worker project became one of the first ten sites in South Africa to offer PrEP (or pre-exposure prophylaxis) to sex workers. This exciting development means that HIV negative sex workers can now take a pill a day to prevent HIV. This is in combination with a variety of other HIV […]
3 February 2016
People who use drugs frequently suffer human rights abuses, ranging from assault and extortion to having their medicine confiscated, all of which can make it very difficult to access health services. These are the findings of a report released today as part of the South African Drug Policy Week Conference ‘RUN2016’ happening in Cape Town this week. […]
22 January 2016
The use of illegal drugs and the various concerns relating to “substance abuse” feature regularly in the headlines and are seen as important issues in almost all communities. Despite this, there continues to be little serious debate over, or even knowledge of, South African drug policy. In an attempt to help remedy this, TB/HIV Care […]
7 December 2015
In the first week of December, the 46th World Conference on Lung Health met in Cape Town and TB/HIV Care found itself at the centre of many of the conference activities. For the first time the conference included a unique community space called the ‘Imbizo’. Intended as a space accessible to all where communities involved […]
20 November 2015
It was with profound sadness that TB/HIV Care learnt that our beloved Senior Advisor, Ria Grant, passed away on Tuesday, 17 November. She died peacefully while she was in frail care. Her husband, Richard, was by her side. Ria was a wonderful person who touched everyone she met with her positive energy, good humour and […]
26 June 2015
Sibusiso is a HIV/AIDS, TB and STI (HAST) Counsellor at Green Point Clinic in Cape Town. Recently her commitment to providing a service instead of judging her clients meant she was able to assist someone and prevent him from defaulting on his ARV treatment. Her HAST Area Co-ordinator, Jessica Mvelase, relates the story: “Sibusiso Masoko […]
15 December 2014
Activists often say, “Every day is World AIDS Day for me.” This may be the case for TB/HIV Care too, but World AIDS Day does provide us with an opportunity to focus on and scale up HIV counselling and testing (HCT) service delivery. This year TB/HIV Care participated in 44 events (in both a hosting […]
10 December 2014
TB/HIV Care has joined a working group, headed by Sonke Gender Justice, aimed at lobbying the Ministry of Women to design, fund and implement a plan to combat gender-based violence, similar to the plan that has been devised to respond to the HIV and TB epidemics; the National Strategic Plan for HIV, STIs and TB. […]
3 September 2014
On the 3rd September, TB/HIV Care launched a fixed site wellness centre with a different focus. This wellness centre in Observatory, Cape Town, will concentrate on providing health care services to ‘key populations’; people who are ‘key’ to the response to the HIV and TB epidemics. This includes sex workers, people who inject drugs, men […]
31 August 2014
“By doing my job I am taking the clinic to the community” -Philippi-based Community Care Worker The July strikes and subsequent arrest of community health workers in the Free State have focused attention on the role of community-based workers in South Africa’s health system. This type of health worker is critical to the success of […]
16 August 2014
In July, the National Department of Health announced a ‘revitalization’ of the national HIV counselling and testing (HCT) campaign that was held in 2010/11. The campaign, like the first, intends to make knowing your HIV status top of mind for the public, but this campaign has also refined its focus. The initial, 2010/11 national HCT […]
13 August 2014
At two workshops held with the Department of Justice and Correctional Services (DJCS) in August, TB/HIV Care Association was able to report on several improvements in TB and HIV care in the Pollsmoor Management Area. Any successes have been made possible by the close partnership between the stakeholders involved in providing TB and HIV care […]
4 April 2014
What is the relationship between TB/HIV Care Association and the Department of Health in terms of medical male circumcision? Medical male circumcision (MMC) is part of a national campaign driven by the Department of Health in all provinces and launched by the National Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. Naturally, all provinces are included in […]
31 March 2014
March, the month that includes World TB Day on the 24th of March, saw a TB/HIV Care team dressed in red overalls hit prisons around the country. TB/HIV Care had launched its part of the Kick TB/HIV campaign. By the end of the month, nearly 5000 inmates had been reached by the programme, which aims […]