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Marcus Low

@marcuslowx.bsky.social

220 followers 430 following 47 posts

Novelist, editor of Spotlight, aspiring epidemiologist, lover of labradors.

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Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · 5d

MUST READ | Deep into the night while most of Cape Town is asleep, trauma surgeon Dr Deidre McPherson slips into work scrubs, hitting the highway to Groote Schuur Hospital to save the lives of critically injured patients.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/10/03/b...

Between silence and sirens: Cape Town trauma surgeon Dr Deidre McPherson’s midnight vigils

Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town has one of the busiest emergency centres in the Western Cape. As it turns to the public to raise R20 million for the opening of a new emergency centre, Dr Deidre Mc...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · 10d

Good article by Catherine Tomlinson. One of the reasons Spotlight exists is to publish clear explainers like this on important but under covered health issues.

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · 10d

DID YOU KNOW? Medical devices aren’t regulated in SA. The country's regulator has however started down a road that should eventually lead to the regulation of all medical devices.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/10/01/m...

Medical devices aren’t regulated in SA, but that is set to change

Unlike with medicines, and with a few exceptions, South Africa’s regulator does not assess whether diagnostic tests and other medical devices on the market are safe and work as they are supposed to. T...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · 22d

The Gauteng health department has an annual budget of around R67 billion. This is more than 20% of the South African government’s entire spending on health. For the corrupt, the Gauteng health department is an obvious target.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/19/e...

EDITORIAL | The rot runs deep: Gauteng Health’s dance of impunity betrays the people it is meant to serve

The courts have spoken. The health ombud has issued devastating reports. The Auditor-General has again put damning evidence on the table. Civil society has protested. Yet, the devastating crisis in Ga...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · 25d

NHI PUSHBACK | A key argument in challenging the NHI ACT in court is that it's irrational and unreasonable to overhaul the health system when there’s no money to do so. Spotlight dissects how the argument is being applied.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/16/o...

On which legal arguments are the NHI court cases set to turn? Part 1: Affordability

Since President Cyril Ramaphposa signed the NHI Act into law last year in May, eight different groups have challenged it in court. One common argument is that it is irrational and unreasonable to rest...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

UCT Epi & Biostats @epibiostats-uct.bsky.social · Sep 9

Incredible article on a fascinating case of a pregnancy bridging the Gugulethu Midwife Obstetrics Unit, Mowbray Maternity Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital – a real health systems success story!
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/08/h...
@uct-fhs-research.bsky.social @spotlightnsp.bsky.social

How a Cape Town mother gave birth to ‘miracle baby’ who grew outside her womb

Joshua was safely delivered from Sylvia’s belly instead of her uterus one year ago. Biénne Huisman meets mother and baby, and hears from some of the healthcare professionals involved in the remarkable...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Sep 4

Some very good news here

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Sep 4

HIV & KIDS | The potent antiretroviral drug dolutegravir has become the backbone of SA’s HIV treatment programme. New estimates suggest that most children aged one to four living with HIV have now been switched to the drug, reports @elri-voigt.bsky.social.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/04/t...

Thousands of kids with HIV switched to newer treatment

A child-friendly formulation of the antiretroviral drug dolutegravir was first included in the country’s HIV treatment guidelines in 2023. New estimates suggest that most children aged one to four liv...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

GroundUp News @groundup.org.za · Sep 4

Only three in every ten former miners claiming compensation from the R5-billion Tshiamiso Trust have been compensated, the Trust’s CEO Munyadziwa Kwinda told the online AGM last month. Most have been found to be medically ineligible.

Read groundup.org.za/article/comp... by Sipokazi Fokazi

Compensation for sick miners: only 30% of claimants paid out by Tshiamiso Trust

Most claims do not meet the medical criteria, AGM told

groundup.org.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Sep 2

MUST READ | The health department plans to roll out lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection in 2026. Yet, little progress has been made towards rolling out a two-monthly prevention injection, despite the four-year head start on lenacapavir.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/02/t...

Twists and turns in the race to be SA’s first widely used HIV prevention injection

The health department has plans to roll out lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, in a select group of public sector clinics by April 2026. Meanwhile, little progress has been made tow...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Sep 1

CRIPPLING CUTS | Doctors have blown the whistle about a crisis at one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most important public hospitals, saying it is functioning far under capacity due to a series of cuts that they say is costing lives.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/09/01/w...

‘We can’t save them anymore’: Doctors raise alarm about crippling cuts at major KZN hospital

Doctors have blown the whistle about a crisis at one of KwaZulu-Natal’s most important public hospitals, saying it is functioning far under capacity due to a series of crippling cuts. Chris Bateman re...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Aug 25

In his latest #InsideTheBox column, Dr Andy Gray explains how reliance mechanisms can help regulators make decisions more quickly and efficiently, and digs into the details of how South Africa can make the most of these mechanisms.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/08/25/i...

#InsideTheBox with Dr Andy Gray | How could more efficient use of reliance improve access to quality, affordable medicines?

Rather than trying to do everything from scratch, medicines regulators from different countries are increasingly sharing the load between them by ‘relying’ on each other’s work. In his latest #InsideT...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

GroundUp News @groundup.org.za · Aug 25

Statistics released this month confirmed that 140,000 more South Africans became unemployed between April and June, taking our unemployment rate to a scary 33.2%.

Read groundup.org.za/article/nati... by Noncedo Madubedube

National Dialogue: let’s listen to young people, not to the political elite

A view from the National Convention

groundup.org.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Aug 18

BATTLE TO BREATHE | Despite a landmark court ruling that upheld the right to clean air, air pollution remains rife in Emalahleni. For part 2 of this Spotlight special series, reporter Sue Segar and photographer Thom Pierce met up with activists in Mpumalanga.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/08/18/b...

Battle to breathe: The ongoing struggle for clean air in Mpumalanga

Despite a landmark court judgment three years ago that upheld the right to clean air, air pollution remains rife in South Africa’s coal country. For part 2 of this Spotlight special series, journalist...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Aug 4

BATTLE TO BREATHE | Emalahleni translates to ‘place of coal’. But for many people living here, it has also become a place of dirty air. To get first-hand accounts of their stories, Writer Susan Segar and photographer Thom Pierce travelled to Mpumalanga.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/08/04/b...

Pastor Moses Vilane lives in Masakane. In the background is the Duvha Power station, one of 12 coal-fired power stations in Mpumalanga owned by Eskom. (Photo: Thom Pierce/Spotlight)

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 31

Interesting story from the US. For comparison, here is our reporting on how the price of lenalidomide (revlimid) has fluctuated in SA https://www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2023/02/15/analysis-why-has-the-price-of-this-cancer-medicine-risen-and-fallen-by-over-a-thousand-percent-since-2016/

ProPublica @propublica.org · Jul 31

Revlimid has its origin in a pill that cost patients $7.50 each. Decades later, the cancer drug costs more than $18,000 for a month’s supply — even though it still only costs about 25 cents to manufacture.

(Published May)
By @davidarmstrongx.bsky.social

The Price of Remission: This Cancer Drug Saves Lives — but Costs a Fortune. I Wanted to Know Why.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I set out to understand why a single pill of Revlimid cost the same as a new iPhone. I’ve covered high drug prices as a reporter for years. What I discovered shocked…

www.propublica.org

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 29

If this monthly PrEP pill does well in phase 3 it could, probably should, become as big a deal as lenacapavir.

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jul 25

HIV prevention options has come a long way with a daily pill, injections lasting 2 or 6 months, and a monthly ring for women. A monthly pill could change the game even more, reports @elri-voigt.bsky.social.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/07/25/i...

IAS2025: Findings give hope for monthly HIV prevention pill

An HIV prevention pill that could provide a month of protection per tablet has been given the green light to proceed to pivotal trials to test its efficacy. Elri Voigt reports on new findings on the p...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 29

I’m very happy that we get to publish these very informative monthly columns from Dr Andy Gray. I have learned a lot from them.

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jul 28

Anyone who has travelled to the US will have been struck by the extent to which medicines are advertised on television. The situation in South Africa is quite different, writes Dr Andy Gray in his latest #InsideTheBox column.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/07/28/i...

#InsideTheBox with Dr Andy Gray | Should pharmaceutical advertising in SA be better regulated, and why?

For over 20 years, the law has required that the Minister of Health issues regulations to govern the advertising of medicines in South Africa, but as yet no such regulations are in place. In his lates...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 17

Could AI slow science? From the always interesting Narayanan and Kapoor https://www.aisnakeoil.com/p/could-ai-slow-science?post_id=168505690&r=4q9dc1&utm_source=substack Could AI slow science?

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 15

Some great and accessible explanations in here of how TB and TB treatments work.

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jul 14

MUST READ | TB can be cured, but ridding the body of the bug often takes many months. In this Spotlight special briefing, @elri-voigt.bsky.social zoom in on what makes the TB bacterium so hard to beat.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/07/14/i...

#InTheSpotlight | TB’s tight grip: Why this curable disease is so hard to treat

TB can be cured, but ridding the body of the bug often takes many months and usually requires taking four or more different medicines. In this Spotlight special briefing, Elri Voigt zooms in on what m...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jul 15

VACCINES | The National Department of Health is currently reviewing a recommendation by the country’s advisory group on immunisations to make a new RSV vaccine available to all pregnant women.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/07/15/g...

Government is considering providing a vaccine to protect babies from RSV

A new respiratory syncytial virus vaccine to protect infants from severe illness is available in South Africa’s private sector but not yet in public clinics. The country's advisory group on immunisati...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jul 2

ICYMI | Spotlight editor @marcuslowx.bsky.social uses lots of graphs and an interactive table in the 10 sections of this special briefing to unpack what we know about the state of HIV in South Africa.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/06/09/i...

#InTheSpotlight | Graphs that paint the picture of HIV in SA

Eight million people living with HIV. Just over 6 million on treatment. Behind these big numbers lurk a universe of fascinating epidemiological dynamics. In this special briefing, Spotlight editor Mar...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jul 3

If you send out a survey that includes questions about accessibility, it is important to make sure the survey itself is fully accessible. For obvious reasons, failure to do so could invalidate any accessibility related findings. #a11y

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jun 25

"EVIDENCE OF DEATH" | After the abrupt end of US aid, the health system in central Mozambique descended into chaos. Spotlight and @groundup.org.za describe how the funding cuts affected hospitals. In the ensuing turmoil, children died.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/06/25/d...

Death in Mozambique: After US funding cuts, a health system crumbles

After the abrupt termination of American aid, the health system in central Mozambique descended into chaos. In part two of this special series, Spotlight and GroundUp describe how the funding cuts aff...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jun 21

I found the second edition very useful. This should be even better.

Tomasz Kalinowski @t-kalinowski.bsky.social · Jun 20

I’m very pleased to announce that a preview of the 3rd Edition of Deep Learning with R is now available! mng.bz/X7xa

The book is 50% off through July 8!

Deep Learning with R, Third Edition

Deep learning from the ground up using R and the powerful Keras library!</b> Deep Learning with R, Third Edition</i> introduces deep learning from scratch with examples that use the R language and th...

Marcus Low @marcuslowx.bsky.social · Jun 19

Excellent on the ground reporting by Jesse Copelyn

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jun 19

MUST READ | Mozambique's health system is overwhelmingly built on US money. When much of this funding was cut without warning, disease and death spread. Spotlight and @groundup.org.za visited one of the worst affected regions to describe the human toll.
www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/06/19/m...

Mozambique: These are the children the United States left to die

In Mozambique, the health system is overwhelmingly built on US money. When the Trump administration instantly pulled much of this funding without warning, disease and death spread. Spotlight and Groun...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za

Reposted by Marcus Low

Spotlight @spotlightnsp.bsky.social · Jun 9

MUST READ | 8 million people living with HIV. 6 million on treatment. Behind these big numbers lurk a universe of fascinating dynamics. In this special briefing, Spotlight editor @marcuslowx.bsky.social unpacks what we know about the state of HIV in SA.

www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/06/09/i...

#InTheSpotlight | Graphs that paint the picture of HIV in SA

Eight million people living with HIV. Just over 6 million on treatment. Behind these big numbers lurk a universe of fascinating epidemiological dynamics. In this special briefing, Spotlight editor Mar...

www.spotlightnsp.co.za