South Africa: New Screening Programme Planned for Cystic Fibrosis in SA

In recent weeks, cystic fibrosis (CF) has been in the headlines because of a court case about access to new treatments for the genetic condition. CF is one of the most common… Read more »

South Africa: Face to Face - 'It's Not About Me, It's About the Patient That I'm Helping', Says Head of Trauma At Bara

Professor Rudo Mathivha speaks slowly and thoughtfully - a direct contradiction to the hive of activity around her at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, where she… Read more »

South Africa: Do We Have to Balance the Right to Health With the Right to Strike?

South Africa's public health sector strikes often come down to pitting two rights against each other - the right of workers to strike and the rights of patients to access… Read more »

South Africa: Ongoing Security Concerns At Gauteng Hospitals Amid Reports of Cable Theft

Already bogged down by loadshedding, operations at various health facilities in Gauteng and some other provinces have also been disrupted due to cable theft, creating another layer… Read more »

South Africa: New Free State Health MEC Wants to Restore Hope in the Province's Healthcare Services

Her aim is to restore hope in healthcare services for the people of Free State, the province's new Health MEC Mathabo Leeto said shortly after being sworn in as MEC on 14 March. Read more »

South Africa: In-Depth - Mostly Positive Responses to SA's New HIV, TB and STI Plan

South Africa's National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB and STIs (2023 - 2028) was launched on Friday at Tlhabane Stadium in Rustenburg, North West as the world commemorated World TB… Read more »

South Africa: We Need More Dedicated Investment to Address TB in Children

The theme of last year's World Tuberculosis (TB) Day was 'Invest to end TB' - an apt theme acknowledging the critical shortfall in funding for TB if we are to meet the 2035 goal of… Read more »

South Africa: Face to Face - Prof Muki Shey On His Journey From Cameroon to Doing Cutting-Edge TB Research

It was his own background including childhood sickness that inflamed Professor Muki Shey's passion for finding health solutions in resource-constrained settings. Read more »

South Africa: Making Good On the Promise of SA's TB Recovery Plan

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death in South Africa. In 2021, TB accounted for 56 000 deaths and 304 000 people got sick with TB in the country. This is part of an… Read more »

South Africa: In-Depth - the State of SA's HPV Vaccination Programme in 2023

"I was overwhelmed and in complete shock. I never expected what was pretty much a cancer scare in my twenties," says Johannesburg-based Rachel, who was 28 years old when she… Read more »

South Africa: Urgent Course Correction Needed On NHI, Climate Change, and Economic Policy #AfricaClimateCrisis

Kedibone Mmupele (27), her two children Onkarabile (2) and Nkune (6), and her younger siblings Mapule (7) and Sebengu (9) had not had a decent meal in weeks, media reports at the… Read more »

South Africa: Yes! We Can End TB in South Africa

Tuberculosis (TB), an ancient but curable disease, kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease. Despite decades of global efforts to fight TB, more than 1.6… Read more »

South Africa: Supply Issues Delaying Wider Rollout of Shorter TB Preventive Therapy

Though estimates vary substantially, it is thought that in the region of 300 000 people fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa every year. Many more people, however, have… Read more »

South Africa: New Guidelines Are a Step Forward for SA's TB Response

In February 2021, findings from South Africa's first national tuberculosis (TB) prevalence survey confirmed what many suspected - every year, tens of thousands of people sick with… Read more »

South Africa: Community Care Model Improves Uptake of TB Preventive Therapy, Study Finds

The uptake and continuation of tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy were much higher when it was provided through a community-based model compared to the standard clinic-based… Read more »

South Africa: Head of Free State Health Department Not Suspended Despite Being Charged

It is business as usual at the Free State Department of Health with the acting Head of Department (HoD) Godfrey Mahlatsi back at work after he was released on R5 000 bail on 11… Read more »

South Africa: Patients to Benefit From New Funding and Decision to Let Private Sector Help With Gauteng's Oncology Backlog

On 8 March 2023, the Gauteng MEC for Finance Jacob Mamabolo delivered his budget speech in which he indicated that an amount of R784 million has been set aside for the provincial… Read more »

South Africa: Should SA's Public Hospitals Go Solar?

For businesses and households that can afford it, solar panels and batteries offer a way to keep the lights on during South Africa's ongoing bouts of loadshedding. Such… Read more »

South Africa: Underinvestment in Healthcare Infrastructure Will Cost Us in the Long Run

Investment in public health facilities is crucial as the country weathers storms on various fronts - from drought (water shortages) and flooding putting strain on health… Read more »

South Africa: Opinion - Budget 2023 - Opportunity Missed to Refocus Public Health Spending?

The right to access healthcare services is guaranteed to everyone under Section 27 of the South African Constitution. On a population health level, South Africa has made good… Read more »

Africa: Take As Needed - Preventing HIV Might One Day Be As Easy As Using This Suppository

A small study conducted among 23 HIV-negative men and women in the United States has found that a quick-dissolving rectal suppository - no bigger than a fingernail - that contains… Read more »

South Africa: Vaginal Ring to Prevent HIV Safe to Use in Late Pregnancy and While Breastfeeding

Women can safely use a monthly, antiretroviral-containing vaginal ring to prevent HIV infection during late pregnancy and while breastfeeding with no risk to their babies, new… Read more »

South Africa: Disproportionate Number of Children in SA Have Severe Asthma, Experts Say

Despite being one of the most common non-communicable diseases globally and there being highly effective treatments for it, asthma is often not well controlled in many low-resource… Read more »

South Africa: What Next After Shortened TB Treatment Fails in Key Trial?

The current treatment for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) used in South Africa involves a combination of four antibiotics, last for six months, effectively cures TB, and is dirt… Read more »

South Africa: NHI Bill Must Still Clear Many Hurdles to Ensure Adequate Medicine Access

A frightful piece of information came to light recently. The t pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced its 2022 revenue at $100 billion. This is more than the combined health… Read more »