Author: Njih Favour

As winter sets in and temperatures continue to drop across Gauteng, patients at several public hospitals have raised concerns about freezing wards and a lack of hot water.  According to the Gauteng Department of Health, this is due to the ageing infrastructure in its health facilities. Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko says in a statement contractors are on standby to respond to emergencies. “In May, several facilities experienced the visible effects of ageing infrastructure, when breakdowns in the boiler systems resulted in inconsistent hot water supply. The reality we are facing is that critical equipment such as boilers, chillers, heat…

As South Africa moves closer to implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI), Sections 42 to 44 of the NHI Act, which designates a centralised investigative unit within the NHI Fund as the sole authority for managing all complaints, has become a major point of contention in the recent court challenges against the Act.  Health professionals and advocacy groups argue that this centralised approach could undermine transparency, compromise the independence of investigations, and erode public trust in the system. Subscribe to our newsletter Currently, patients can submit complaints, either verbally or in writing, directly at the health facility.  Professor Hassan Mahomed,…

Three years after the World Health Organization (WHO) launched Africa’s first mRNA vaccine technology transfer programme, the effort is beginning to pay off. The project was born during the COVID-19 pandemic, when most vaccines were snapped up by wealthy countries, leaving low and middle-income nations scrambling for access. Established by the WHO and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) in 2021, the programme is on its way to transforming the vaccine and therapeutic landscape in Africa.  Through the hub at the Cape Town-based biotechnology company, Afrigen Biologics, it has successfully transferred foundational mRNA technology to 15 partner organisations. African countries currently…

13 Jun The Impact of Pharmacovigilance on Public Safety: A SAHPRA Mandate Posted at 14:59h in News & Updates by Melanie Govindasamy A Thought Leadership Article Introduction Pharmacovigilance is the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other medicine-related problems, which play a crucial role in ensuring public safety. The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is at the forefront of pharmacovigilance efforts in South Africa, working tirelessly to safeguard public health. SAHPRA’s Mandate and Role in Pharmacovigilance SAHPRA’s mandate is to regulate all health products, including medicines, medical devices,…

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is raising the alarm over a surge in fraudulent service providers posing as SAHPRA-accredited.  The watchdog says it has learned about a troubling trend of individuals and businesses using falsified licences to deceive the public and carry out unregulated operations, putting lives at risk. The warning comes amid the booming popularity of cannabis-infused products in South Africa, from beverages and snacks to baked goods. However, the lack of proper regulation, safety testing, and transparent labelling has sparked concern. SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela says in a statement that the rapid spread of…

Body Mass Index is widely used to assess if a person falls within a healthy weight range. (Photo: Steve Buissinne/Pixabay) News & Features 11th June 2025 | Jesse Copelyn Health workers have long relied on Body Mass Index as a way to measure whether people are within a healthy weight range. Now, a collection of top researchers have made the case for a new way to understand and diagnose obesity. In part two of this special Spotlight series, we take a look at what this new framing might mean for South Africa.      If we are going to tackle…

11 Jun  SAHPRA alerts the public about fake licence holders Pretoria, 11 June 2025—The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) is warning the public to be vigilant and cautious when engaging with service providers who claim to be licensed by SAHPRA. SAHPRA has learned that individuals and companies are operating unethically by presenting falsified SAHPRA licences to gain public trust and conduct business.  SAHPRA stresses that the use of fake licences is not only unlawful but also poses serious risks to public health and safety. Members of the public are urged to verify the authenticity of any SAHPRA-issued licence…

The Gauteng health department has come under criticism for its deplorable human resources management, which has incentivised employees to exaggerate their leave days. These concerns were raised during a meeting on the Policy and Procedure for Incapacity Leave and Ill Health Retirement attended by the CEOs and HR managers of various divisions in the department earlier this month. The meeting examined the number of staff members who have exhausted their 36 days of sick leave over the three-year cycle, during which they are entitled to 12 days a year, and those who are subsequently placed on unpaid leave once their…

Of the eight million people living with HIV in South Africa, around 6.2 million were taking antiretroviral treatment in 2024. (Photo: Shutterstock) News & Features 9th June 2025 | Marcus Low 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 Marcus Low unpacks what we know about the state of HIV in South Africa. Four decades ago hardly anyone in South Africa had HIV. Today, roughly one in eight people here are living with the virus. HIV has quite simply…

South African expert Professor Helen Rees was one of six global public health champions celebrated at the recent World Health Assembly.  Rees was named the recipient of the prestigious Dr Lee Jong-wook Memorial Prize in recognition of her contributions to global health.   Health-e News spoke with Rees about the significance of receiving a lifetime achievement award, key milestones in her career, and the challenges of cuts to internal funding for health programmes.  Subscribe to our newsletter What does receiving this prize mean to you?  Dr Lee Jong-wook was a former Director-General of the World Health Organization who died in office,…