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Source: THINK: Tackling Public Health Issues - Africa Outlook MagazineTACKLING PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUESAccording to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death amongst people living with HIV across the world, with the two illnesses being intrinsically linked and in need of vital support.It is from this critical need that THINK was established by Dr Kristina Wallengren as a non-profit company in 2013, with the founding [...]

In an ongoing effort to lessen and eliminate tuberculosis (TB) burden in South Africa, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has awarded THINK (TB and HIV Investigative Network) funding to roll out the Tuberculosis Elimination and Program Resilience Activity (Accelerate 2), which will run until 2028. ACCELERATE is the flagship USAID/SA TB project, and USAID is the project donor that provides essential funding and support for the execution and [...]

Mr Trevor Mvundura, Country CEO at THINK (Tuberculosis & HIV Investigative Network), clinched an illustrious opportunity when he was selected for The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. This incredibly inspiring program is part of the U.S. Government's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The programme is designed to empower young leaders between their early 20s and mid-30s who have already demonstrated exceptional leadership potential within their communities, organisations, and [...]

  The recent THINK South Africa Roadshow got traction when Trevor Mvundura, our Country CEO, conducted a series of activities – kicking off at the Head Office in Hillcrest on March 1, and continuing throughout the country at the Mangaung office in Bloemfontein, the Fezile Dabi office in Sasolburg, the Centurion office between Pretoria and Midrand, the Vhembe office in Louis Trichardt, and finally the DOH office in Sekhukhune. [...]

By Dr Munira Khan THINK South Africa's clinical trial unit in Hillcrest is excited to share updates on progress made for the TB ALLIANCE NC009 trial, as well as more info about the ChilPref Ext study The TB ALLIANCE NC009 trial is currently being conducted in five countries and aims to determine the safety of an investigational product in patients with bacteriologically confirmed drug-sensitive TB. One of the potential [...]

Meet an inspiring THINKer who lives our values entirely and truthfully – both at work and at home Born and raised in Pietermaritzburg, love and kindness were the cornerstones of Noluthando Gwala’s upbringing, shaping the way she lives her life. Now, as a mother of two wonderful boys, she devotes much of her free time to exploring new recipes with them, watching movies, dancing to the latest TikTok trends, [...]

By Michaela Higgins Sørensen In the world of non-profit organisations, allocating resources to communications is often left to the last slice of the budget cake. Understandably so, especially when funds are primarily directed towards specialised research, such as revolutionising tuberculosis treatment and changing WHO guidelines. However, at THINK, a research-driven NGO dedicated to healthcare advancement in Southern Africa, we recognise the evolving landscape and the need to elevate our [...]

By Ziyuan Aria Zhou The Africa Health Conference, hosted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, serves as a platform for discussing and disseminating the transformative initiatives shaping the healthcare landscape across the African continent. Under the theme ‘Mapping Changemakers Transforming Health in Africa’ this year, the conference explored a range of critical themes that capture the complexities of Africa’s healthcare challenges and triumphs. It aimed to highlight [...]

By Allison Naidoo On February 26th, THINK South Africa collaborated with the National Bioproducts Institute (NBI) for an awareness drive during the NBI Wellness Walkabout, highlighting our shared mission for a healthier future. In the heart of Paradise Valley, the NBI stands as a beacon of hope for South African patients. For more than three decades, NBI has been a cornerstone in the production of essential plasma-derived products, marking a [...]

World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, observed annually on March 24, serves as a crucial platform to raise awareness about the global TB epidemic and its profound health, social, and economic impacts. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, South Africa ranks among the top five countries worldwide with the highest burden of TB, with over 500 cases per 100,000 population. THINK South Africa, is a local non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing [...]

THINK, a health impact and research organisation are at the forefront of World TB Day initiatives to improve the quality of life for people affected by TB in South Africa and around the world. THINK is part of the ongoing planning meetings led by the office of the Premier in KwaZulu-Natal. World TB Day is a global commemoration held on 24th March of each year and is aimed at building [...]

Let’s meet our new interns in Denmark, and our new students in South Africa! But first, we welcome Michaela – who after a 3-month internship is now onboard with us as THINK Denmark’s Communications Officer. Michaela Higgins Sørensen Communications Officer, Denmark Hi everyone! I'm Michaela, a 27-year-old Danish South African who grew up in Mozambique, but am currently based in Copenhagen. I completed my master’s degree in June 2021, [...]

Ladies; prioritise your health! Empower yourself with knowledge and regular check-ups to ensure early detection Dr Susan Ford, research doctor at our Clinical Research Unit, has underscored the importance of women's health – a topic that deeply resonates with her. With women often serving as primary caregivers for family members, they sometimes overlook their own health. Susan stresses the value of women's health, particularly in routine checks to detect [...]

Let's take a look at some of the amazing work we have done!

Get to know THINKer Fanelesibonge Msimango – and her wonderful interpretation of THINK culture and values! Fanele joined THINK in February this year as a Data Clerk on the ADAPT project. When the ADAPT project concluded in April, she applied for her current role as a Linkage Coordinator. “In this capacity, I collaborate closely with Linkage Officers to oversee the management of linkage activities. My responsibilities include coordinating the efforts [...]

In the first part of this year, THINK broadened the scope of the Clinical Trial Unit to include a Male Medical Circumcision (MMC) program. This single intervention reduces the risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV from women to men by about 60%. Further, it reduces the risk of sexually transmitted infections, penile cancer in men, and cervical cancer in female partners of circumcised men. The successful rollout of the [...]

South Africa is among the top five countries with the highest burden of TB.  However, the government recently announced it would be slashing its budget for TB research grants. Now, a researcher plans to use AI to analyse TB data. Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) may become a key weapon in fighting South Africa's tuberculosis scourge – which sees as many as 300 000 new infections and more than [...]

Programme will target African health sector workers looking to improve efficiency and outcomes A South African NGO plans to set up a hub in Durban where people working in public health throughout Africa can come to learn how to use AI chatbots in their work. THNK, a non-profit company founded in 2013 to help people affected by TB and HIV, says it hopes to have the hub up and running [...]

Get up, close and personal with our Senior IT Officer, Bekani Samuel Nsibanyoni! Find out why he places such high importance on IT proficiency, and learn more about his vision of creating an IT Training Development Centre. Q: What can you tell us about the Digital Discovery Hub? A: Today THINK relies heavily on computerised technology to efficiently complete various amounts of tasks. As part of our mission to create [...]

SUCCESS STORY 1A 20-year-old male came to Ladysmith’s Steadville clinic on March 21 this year, presenting with loss of appetite, loss of energy, loss of weight, coughing and vomiting blood. Signs and symptoms of TB was noted. Sputum for GXP taken, and the result was positive with Rifampicin Resistance – on March 24. He was referred to Ladysmith Hospital for treatment, and subsequently to Estcourt for DR-TB initiation.Tracing by the [...]

The team at our uMkhanyakude district office has received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Provincial Office for reaching the target TB success rate.A celebration at the Provincial TB Workshop recently took place, where uMkhanyakude was recognised for doing an excellent job in managing cases of both Drug-Sensitive (DS) and Drug-Resistant (DR) TB.For the last three years, uMkhanyakude has shown great dedication to taking care of TB patients. They achieved [...]

The uMgungundlovu district, a vital hub serving 10% of the provincial population, is a diverse district where challenges overpower opportunities – as the district addresses socio-economic issues like informal settlements and the existing vulnerable key population demographic. With seven municipalities under its umbrella – uMshwathi, Umgeni, Mpofana, Impendle, Msunduzi, UMkhambathini, and Richmond – the district strives to collate a collective response to healthcare needs. There are currently 28 facilities [...]

We're thrilled to bring you the latest happenings at our new home in Copenhagen! We're now sharing an open office space with our partners at Dalberg Media. A leading social impact advisory group that brings together strategy consulting, design thinking, big data analytics, research, and implementation to address complex social and environmental challenges, Dalberg is a dynamic organisation you should definitely get to know. In our lively co-working environment, we're [...]

We all know and love the wonderful THINK culture – a vital part of every THINKers well-being and motivation to make a difference daily. Although most of us have individual takes on how we define this unique culture, at the end of the day it all boils down to aligning with our core values. Let’s hear what our inspiring leader, Trevor Mvundura, has to say in this fun Q&A [...]

The two new clinical trials that THINK is currently preparing for are within the fields of HIV prevention in high-risk groups, and individuals diagnosed with drug sensitive TB. The HIV prevention trial is sponsored by GILEAD Inc and offers pre-exposure prophylaxis to individuals at high risk of contracting HIV. The trial is being conducted in a number of countries around the world – including Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Thailand, United [...]

Hot off the press! If you caught our recent announcement, you know that THINK has secured a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We're ecstatic to share that we were one of just 50 winners among a staggering 1 300 applications globally, all responding to the Grand Challenges on the Equitable use of AI. Leading the charge on this cutting-edge project, titled "Unlocking the Power of Data," are [...]

As we mark THINK's 10th year of impactful work, we celebrate the dedication and expertise of our team of over 500 researchers and healthcare professionals who have provided care for over 0.5 million individuals in KwaZulu-Natal. Through our pioneering clinical research, we have influenced treatment guidelines worldwide and elevated the quality of care in South Africa and beyond. In the spirit of reflection, Dr. Suzanne Staples, our esteemed Chief Strategy [...]

We are thrilled to announce our partnership with the South Africa-Sweden University Forum (SASUF). SASUF is a collaboration between Swedish and South African universities with the aim of increasing collaboration between the two countries. As part of this partnership, THINK will be hosting a satellite event titled Translating Research into Action on 27-28 March 2023 – during the SASUF Research and Innovation week. This event is a great opportunity for [...]

Feb. 07, 2023 – THINK, with the support of Virtuall, has launched their our very first limited edition NFT (non-fungible token) wearable and ventured into Metaverse where crypto fundraising and virtual engagement with donors is rapidly becoming the norm. The launch of the NFT will enable THINK to adapt to a fast-changing fundraising environment where it is essential to be able to accept crypto donations and engage with a [...]

Findings that prompted WHO to update global DR-TB treatment guidelines now published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that a much shorter treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB is safer and cured almost 90 percent of patients London, 21 December 2022—A new all-oral, six-month treatment regimen is safer and more effective at treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) than the current options for people with drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), according to the [...]

The Union World Conference on Lung Health 2022 starts tomorrow when researchers, funders and stakeholders will gather virtually until the end of the week to share, discuss and strategize. The theme for this year is "Combating Pandemics: Today and Tomorrow" with the tagline of: "We must work together towards the elimination of all lung health pandemics and this can only be achieved if we address the issues of equity and [...]

Dr Lynette Duckworth, technical TB lead for THINK While tuberculosis (TB) is the top killer of people living with HIV, TB is also harder to diagnose in people living with HIV than in people who are not. What is more, TB is particularly difficult to diagnose in people living with HIV who have compromised immune systems. Imagine, for example, someone living with HIV is very sick and lying [...]

We are thankful to Brits Nonwoven for the donation of D15 masks to THINK: 3442 x Large for Men - Elastic Band Masks, 2481 x Large-Toggle Masks, 8381 x Medium for kids/woman - Elastic Band Masks, 4990 x Medium-Toggle Masks. Thank you so much for your great generosity! Through the Brits Nonwoven donation, we will be able to provide masks for our staff and patients based at our various clinics [...]

THINK through the support and donation from the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust, we were able to make an incredible difference into a young boy’s and entire families life with a donation of a much needed wheelchair. When one heard the mother of the boy say in a very emotional and soft voice; “Ngiyabonga kakhulu THINK, uNkulunkulu anibusise.” Which can be direct translated to, “Thank you so much THINK, may God [...]

Meet THINK’s new Non-Executive Director, Debbie Gebhardt; an energetic, unbelievably creative and natural leader. Debbie is a veteran Marketing professional with over 25 years of experience, whose career is what every marketing practitioner dreams of; she is a living legend in the creative and marketing space.At THINK, we believe in making a difference in the world with passion and dedication. Our holistic understanding of TB and HIV is the way we [...]

Congratulations to Nonhlanhla (Noni) Madondo for winning in the Poster Presentations under Track 4 at the 7th SA TB Conference, for her incredible presentation on ‘Qualitative exploration of the effects of psychological well-being and mental health on DR-TB treatment outcomes in KwaZulu-Natal’. “The SA-TB conference was truly a transformational experience. The energy was electric and it was inspiring to be around people with similar interests who have done amazing work [...]

6 Sep 2022 By Anita Jacobs, pharmacist at THINK I became a pharmacist as I was very interested in caring for human health. The ability to understand health at a much deeper level, translating it to my patients and then witnessing them healthier and recovered drives my passion. Pharmacy is a well-rounded career which involves not only patient care but can incorporate science, innovation, research, technology as well as [...]

“Interning at THINK was an amazing opportunity to immerse myself in a South African NGO and learn about the research. Everyone here is passionate about their work, whether it be medical research or finance, and truly are an inspiration. From an outside perspective, the people at THINK are ambitious, hard-working, and want to make a real difference in South African healthcare. Investigating the TB trials has been very interesting, [...]

THINK with the support of @USAID and @kznhealth, launched a brand new fleet of Mobile X-ray vans during the World TB Day event in Howick, Mpophomeni in March. These vans are intended to complement TB screening initiatives among key populations in uThukela, Amajuba, uMgungundlovu and uMkhanyakude districts. Each van is staffed with a radiographer to take X-rays and an enrolled nurse to assess the results and the patient’s overall [...]

Under a new tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis strategy, people considered to be at high risk of TB are offered molecular TB tests, even if they do not have any symptoms. A landmark study in 2020 showed that such a strategy can help diagnose more people more quickly. Now, early indications are that it also works in the real world and South Africa’s lab service says they can cope with the increased [...]

This month is all about encouraging the men and boys in your life (including you, men out there!) to take care of their bodies by eating right, exercising, and working to prevent disease. The official symbol for the month is a blue ribbon and the purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases including TB, HIV/AIDS, [...]

By Dr Suzanne Staples, Chief Strategy Officer at THINK May 2022 marks such a proud and exciting moment in Drug-Resistant TB care, one that THINK has been closely involved with for many years and right from the start. My personal pride stems from the fact that THINK, and the clinical team has contributed so much to this historic moment through hard work and dedication together with our sponsors and [...]

Author: Dr Ronelle Moodliar THINK has proudly participated in the MSF sponsored TB-PRACTECAL clinical research trial since 2017, a phase II/III clinical trial sponsored by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), that tested a six-month regimen of bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid and moxifloxacin (BPaLM), amongst 2 others, against the locally accepted standard of care. At the time of the interim analysis 242 patients had been enrolled in seven trial sites across [...]

One of the most intriguing findings from South Africa’s first National Tuberculosis Prevalence Survey was that out of 234 people found to have TB, 58% had abnormal chest X-rays without experiencing any TB symptoms. Not surprisingly, the short report in which the findings were made public recommended the expanded use of X-ray technology for TB screening, something the World Health Organization (WHO) has also recently recommended.In South Africa the first [...]

Published Article by SAGE Download Article THINK TB & HIV Investigative Network is a non-profit organisation that conducts world-renowned clinical research in vaccine development, diagnostic tools, and treatment guidelines for TB and HIV. It improves the quality of life of people affected by these diseases through training, capacity building, and engaging with local communities and stakeholders to support and improve health. Since its establishment in [...]

The treatment of Drug- Resistant TB (DR-TB) treatment has rapidly evolved over the last five years with the first new oral DR-TB drug, Bedaquiline, being introduced into the NDOH DR-TB programme in 2017. Following the successful introduction of Bedaquiline into a nine-month all-oral regimen, all treatments for DR-TB in South Africa were transitioned into injection (Kanamycin)- free regimens in 2018. Despite these advances, the treatment regimens for DR-TB remain complex, [...]

Building the capacity of community outreach teams is one of the priorities of South Africa’s National TB Program (NTP) to improve contact tracing, screening and linkage to TB Preventative Therapy (TPT). Outreach teams consist of community healthcare workers who act as liaisons between communities and their nearest health care facility. At the beginning of 2021, the uMkhanyakude district Department of Health (DoH) requested training on COVID-19, TB and HIV for [...]

During June, the TB/Integrated Services Team Lead for USAID Southern Africa, Ms Cindy Dlamini, visited the East Boom Community Health Centre (CHC) in uMgungundlovu Health District. The visit was facilitated by the USAID TB LON-SAFT Programme, implemented by THINK and the facility management team from the Department of Health. The aim of the visit was for Ms Dlamini to review the impact of the Direct Service Delivery (DSD) support that [...]

As part of Operation Phuthuma, a 10 Point Plan for Acceleration initiated by the Department of Health (DoH) to improve health service delivery in the country, the eThekwini District DoH embarked on monthly HIV & AIDS, STI and TB (HAST) Programme data clean-up exercises. During February and March 2021, the USAID TB LON-SAFT team collaborated with the district TB Prevention and Control Programme to conduct data verification exercises in health [...]

On the 12th May 2021, International Nurses’ Day was celebrated and commemorated after a year marked by unknowns, fears, and heavy workloads for most nurses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, nurses across the world have faced these challenges and shown innovation and selfless care to millions of patients at health care facilities and at home. The theme of the campaign was “A Voice to Lead – A vision [...]

To commemorate World TB Day on the 24th March 2021, teams from the USAID TB LON-SAFT Programme implemented by THINK, organized various events in March and April. The World TB Day theme for this year was “The Clock is Ticking” conveying a reminder that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments made by global leaders to end TB by 2030. USAID TB LON-SAFT teams in [...]

The USAID TB LON-SAFT Programme was initially awarded to the Tuberculosis and HIV Investigative Network (THINK) to implement in the uMgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal province from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020. The aim was to strengthen the drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) service delivery platform in the district. An extension of this award followed to include drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) as well for a period from 01 October 2020 until 30 [...]

Young children and HIV-positive individuals are at high risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) disease following exposure and infection to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) bacteria. In the absence of appropriate preventive therapy, M.tb-infected children under the age of five have a 50% risk of developing TB. More than 90% of children that are exposed to M.tb and who progress to disease, will do so within 12 months while the majority [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

"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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]