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During the month of June, the USG Consul General (represented by Anne Linnee, Elizabeth Orlando and Baphiwe Nxumalo, the liaison for PEPFAR in the province) and USAID South Africa (represented by Kevin Sturr, the Deputy Mission Director and Phyllis Pholoholo, a project management specialist in TB/HIV clinical care) were introduced to the USAID TB LON-SAFT team in Hlabisa, a subdistrict of uMkhanyakude. The introductory visit started at the Richard’s Bay THINK offices where an overview was given of the ongoing work of the USAID TB LON-SAFT Programme in the district and the USAID mission’s support of TB work in the country. [...]

In June 2021, the USAID TB LON-SAFT Programme implemented by THINK conducted a TB Screening Outreach campaign at the Block A.K Homeless Shelter in Durban in collaboration with the eThekwini Municipality, Beatrice Street Primary Health Care (PHC) facility and Stop TB Partnership. The campaign was initiated by the THINK Programme team after learning about a resident from the shelter who was diagnosed and initiated on treatment at the Beatrice PHC the month before. Two other residents were also being treated for TB. Block A.K Homeless Shelter is a charity dependent residence for homeless people that is managed by the eThekwini Municipality. [...]

"When I told my wife that I was going to be hospitalized for a long time, she couldn't stop crying." Bonginkosi Emmanuel Mkhize is a 32-year-old refrigerator mechanic based in Durban, South Africa. He is the 240th patient to participate in the MSF study. The aim of this research: to find a new cure for resistant tuberculosis. Tuberculosis Durban is the largest city in the KwaZulu-Natal province, on the east coast of South Africa. It is known as a surfer's mecca. And it is the city with one of the largest commercial seaports in the world. KwaZula-Natal province is the second province in South [...]

In September 2017 Doctor Suzanne Staples left for the Netherlands for 1 year as the recipient of the EDCTP -TDR Clinical Research & Development Fellowship. The aim of the fellowship is to build capacity in African researchers through placement at a European Scientific research organisation. Through this placement fellows learn and understand the operation of a scientific clinical research organization, to improve their capacity for conducting future research.  To this end, Dr. Staples was welcomed at Julius Clinical based in Zeist, The Netherlands. A scientific Clinical Research Organisation.Her personal objective for her time abroad was to improve her research capacity in [...]

On 24 March 1882, Dr. Robert Koch announced that he has discovered the bacterium that causes tuberculosis. It is for this reason that World TB Day is held annually on this day. However, it is not a celebration. We can only celebrate once we have managed to End TB.While in our daily work we are making difference to ensure that this global goal is met by 2035 in our daily work, we rallied together for World TB Day to host a TB day in Durban and Pietermaritzburg to share knowledge about TB and connect with the communities we work in.Our School [...]

In June, 15 post graduate students from Harvard Medical School missed a flight from the US to attend a course in Translational Medicine hosted by THINK in South Africa. Last minute travel re-arrangements and reshuffling of the week-long course programme enabled the students to still be the first to inaugurate the new THINK Board Room at Florida road in Durban. The course aimed to identify Unmet Medical Needs and Translational Solutions to engage future biomedical research leaders in the practice of translational medicine. The students were exposed to various health care settings and community events to come face to face with [...]

Excited and motivated staff have moved into our new headquarter in 324 Florida road in central Durban. For the first time, the full management can sit together with access to their own boardroom and meeting facilities. An independent research clinic is also located on the premises with state of the art equipment, appropriate infection control, and separate staff working areas.

In celebration of TB World Day on the 24th of March 2014 THINK arranged a vibrant event at Umkhumbane Secondary School with live performances, inspirational talks, and TB screening. The famous Durban-born baritone singer from London, Njabulo Madlala, inspired crowds of learners with his visit. He talked about “Inspiration” and the ability to achieve anything in life through commitment and hard work. He was backed by his two South African based colleagues, who are being coached by Njabulo on his trip to South Africa. They performed heart warming and beautiful song numbers. The event was backed by the eThekwini District Department [...]