Southern African HIV Clinicians Society

07/10/2025

An estimated 60% of new TB cases in SA are in persons with HIV. 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗴-𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 (𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗜) 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘆, occurring in 5% – 33% of adult patients. 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗴-𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗷𝘂𝗿𝘆 (𝗔𝗧-𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗜) 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗯𝗶𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘆. A retrospective observational study of PWH and TB co-infection diagnosed with AT-DILI on admission to hospital in SA, showed an in-hospital and 3-month mortality of 27% and 35%, respectively. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘀, 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗧-𝗗𝗜𝗟𝗜 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗕 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗜𝗩 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲. View or download the guideline here:https://sahivsoc.org/Files/SAHCS%20DILI%20guidelines%20-%202024.pdf

06/10/2025

SAHCS invites you to our next continuing medical education webinar on “Paediatric Tuberculosis”. Register here https://bit.ly/4gWzhAD for this Thursday, 9 October, and here https://bit.ly/3Kzh7J4 for next Tuesday, 14 October (Re-Run)

This session will provide practical insights and use case-based discussions on the diagnosis and management of paediatric tuberculosis, including both Drug-Sensitive and Rifampicin-Resistant tuberculosis. This will be a great opportunity to stay up to date with the latest South African National Department of Health guidance, including:
- National Guidelines on the Treatment of Tuberculosis Infection, February 2023
- Management of Tuberculosis in Children & Adolescents, A Clinical Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Drug-susceptible TB in Children and Adolescents in South Africa, September 2024
- Clinical Management of Rifampicin-Resistant Tuberculosis, September 2023

03/10/2025

Last night’s CME on HIV Prevention with a focus on PrEP was powerful, chaired by Prof Saiqa Mullick, and presented by Dr Pippa Macdonald, Prof Linda-Gail Bekker, and Ms Hasina Subedar.

Prof. Bekker reminded us that epidemic control depends on prevention. This means creating stigma-free prevention and differentiated services where young people and adults can ask for PrEP, and receive it without judgement. Positive messaging around PrEP, and it’s safety and efficacy, is important. The future of HIV prevention is about choice - from daily oral PrEP to long-acting injectables and beyond.

If you missed it, join the re-run next week (Webinar recording):

Tuesday, 7 October 2025, 13h00–15h00 (SAST) Register here: tinyurl.com/bddaneyp

Or

If you’d like to watch the full webinar, simply join SAHCS as a member - it’s free, and gives you access to this session and our previous webinars: https://sahivsoc.org/Subheader/Index/cme-webinars

Desmond Tutu Health Foundation

02/10/2025

New publication: South African harm reduction guideline for chemsex

Currently in South Africa (SA) there is a lack of knowledge, services, and support for people who engage in chemsex. This exacerbates their risk of exposure to HIV and other STIs, heightens barriers to accessing comprehensive care, and intensifies potential harms. This guideline provides recommendations to address the key health and psychosocial aspects relating to chemsex in SA. It should be viewed within the context of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society Guidelines for Harm Reduction.

The purpose of this guideline is to:
• Provide an overview of chemsex in SA.
• Offer evidence-based clinical guidance for chemsex harm-reduction services.
• Provide a directory of useful resources and sensitised providers.

View the publication here: https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1763/3708

01/10/2025

This study explored key stakeholders’ perspectives regarding the incorporation of Key Populations (KPs) unique identifier codes (UICs) in the RHIMS in terms of opportunities, procedures, vulnerabilities, challenges, and considerations for enhancement in tracking the HIV care cascade in South Africa. The study found that stakeholders support the inclusion of KPs UICs in public health data collection tools, emphasising its role in improving monitoring and evaluation, resource allocation, and KP-specific programming. Read the full article here: https://sajhivmed.org.za/index.php/hivmed/article/view/1727

30/09/2025

Today, our president, Dr. Ndiviwe Mphothulo, was invited to address UKZN's College of Health Sciences' final-year nursing students. He spoke on the critical HIV competencies they will need as they transition into community service, knowledge that will shape their professional journeys and strengthen the communities they serve.

29/09/2025

We invite you to our upcoming CME webinar on HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.
- Thursday, 2 October 2025 | 17h30–19h30 (SAST) – Live webinar. Register here: tinyurl.com/44556nmn
- Tuesday, 7 October 2025 | 13h00–15h00 (SAST) – Pre-recorded session. Register here: tinyurl.com/bddaneyp

This session will provide an overview of the SAHCS 2025 PrEP guidelines and anticipated 2026 updates, followed by a talk on the upcoming long-acting PrEP agents, with a focus on six-monthly injectable PrEP. An update will also be provided on the NDoH PrEP programme, including an update on the anticipated rollout of long-acting PrEP in South Africa.

25/09/2025

Good news! Unitaid, Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc., Wits RHI, and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories have reached a landmark agreement to make the long-acting injectable HIV prevention tool, lenacapavir, affordable and accessible in 120 low- and middle-income countries.
From 2027, lenacapavir will be available at US $40 per year (with the required initial oral dose at US $17), placing the twice-yearly injection on par with oral PrEP pricing in LMICs.

The revolutionary HIV prevention tool, injectable lenacapavir, will be available at a cost of US$40 a year in 120 low- and middle-income countries starting in 2027, under a new partnership announced today between Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), an...

22/09/2025

Join our next CME webinar focusing on HIV and TB Vaccines. This session will provide updates on current HIV and TB vaccine research and the potential role that vaccines could play in fighting these epidemics. Register here https://bit.ly/428jQz8 for this Thursday and here https://bit.ly/4nMEVYj for next Tuesday, 30 September 2025

19/09/2025

Submit your research to The Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine

Find out how here: http://bit.ly/46nC6pj

The DHET and PubMed Central® accredited Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine is a medical journal focused on HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention and related topics relevant to clinical and public health practice, including articles based in the social and behavioural sciences.

The purpose of the journal is to disseminate research results and to support high-level learning related to HIV and related diseases. The journal welcomes articles from African countries and globally. It publishes original research articles, editorials, case reports/series, reviews, and correspondence. The Journal is led by Editor-In-Chief Professor Gary Maartens

18/09/2025

The SAHCS NTM guideline provides practical, evidence-based recommendations for clinicians in Southern Africa to:
- Recognise and differentiate NTM disease from TB
- Diagnose using appropriate tests in resource-limited settings
- Manage and treat NTM in people with HIV, with guidance on when to seek specialist input. View or download the guideline here:
https://sahivsoc.org/Files/SAHCS%20NTM%20guideline_2024.pdf

16/09/2025

Register for this workshop: This two-day interactive session will translate the latest evidence-based research into best-practice models of care and apply them to clinical practice, with a specific focus on resource-constrained areas. Visit https://awacc.org/register/