Articles

In 2000, global leaders committed to the Millennium Development Goals, including dramatic reductions in child and maternal mortality. For South Africa, MDG 4 requires lowering under‑five mortality to 20 per 1,000 births, while MDG 5 demands reducing maternal mortality to 38 per 100,000 by 2015.

A decade after world leaders set the MDGs, African countries report progress but also deep, persistent gaps. Many targets remain unlikely to be met. This reflection highlights achievements, challenges and the public health actions urgently needed to close inequalities and accelerate Africa’s path toward meaningful development.

Clinical trial registries strengthen transparency by capturing a standard 20‑item dataset before recruitment begins, ensuring outcomes cannot be altered without public record. Through the WHO’s International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry helps curb selective reporting and supports unambiguous identification of trials.

South Africa has expanded HIV treatment and reduced mother‑to‑child transmission, yet new infections—especially among young women—remain high. With 6.4 million people living with HIV, sustained progress requires targeted prevention in hotspots, uninterrupted ARV supply and stronger support for health workers and patients.

South Africa’s HIV epidemic disproportionately affects women, driven by gender‑based violence, alcohol use and limited access to resources. Research shows violence increases HIV risk partly through hazardous drinking. Effective prevention demands multi‑faceted, gender‑empowering interventions—such as microfinance and alcohol‑reduction programmes—to address the intertwined drivers of women’s vulnerability.

South Africa faces one of the world’s highest burdens of drug‑resistant TB, with MDR‑ and XDR‑TB rising rapidly. A PETTS study comparing Eastern Cape and KwaZulu‑Natal reveals stark differences in outcomes driven by drug resistance, treatment regimens and system delays, underscoring the urgent need for stronger DR‑TB control.