Author: Njih Favour
By Dr Morena Makhoana, CEO of Biovac As the United States scales back funding for South African health research and cuts its funding support for 15,000 local health workers, and for global vaccine purchaser Gavi, the case for self-reliance in health has never been more pressing. There’s an increased recognition that the country needs to prioritise domestic health spending, and self-sufficiency in medical treatment, and develop local pharmaceutical manufacturing. In fact, South Africa has well-established medical infrastructure and could become a biotech hub in Africa. The continent has a growing population and young demographics, which offers a guaranteed market and…
Professor Adrie Bekker explains the findings of a study on two novel formulations for the administration of dolutegravir in babies born to mothers living with HIV. (Photo: Biénne Huisman/Spotlight) News & Features 30th April 2025 | Biénne Huisman Research led by Professor Adrie Bekker is paving the way for an important HIV medicine to be made available to neonates in a way that is both safe and much more convenient than previous options. Spotlight met with the passionate clinician-scientist at her office in Cape Town. Two new ways of giving the important HIV medicine dolutegravir to newborn babies have been…
DNA is a form of biological evidence found in almost every cell of the human body. DNA testing is one of the most powerful tools in the pursuit of justice, particularly in the case of rape or sexual assault. But South Africa is grappling with a staggering backlog of DNA backlog on 140,000 rape cases, raising serious concerns about the efficiency and responsiveness of the forensic system. Dr Vanessa Lynch, is the regional director for DNAforAfrica, a company that works around forensic DNA profiling. Health-e News speaks to her about the urgent need to strengthen forensic processes. How does DNA…
The alarming rise in antibiotic resistant infections is of grave concern, particularly for infants. (Photo: Denvor de Wee/Spotlight) News & Features 29th April 2025 | Sue Segar Experts say bacterial infections are responsible for more infant deaths than is generally recognised, and things may get worse as more of the bugs become resistant to commonly used antibiotics. We asked local experts about this growing threat to newborns. A two-week-old baby is referred to the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) in Cape Town. The infant, who was born prematurely at six months, has come from a nearby neonatal hospital.…
Nontobeko* is a high school teacher in Khayelitsha, Western Cape. Despite having done the job for more than ten years, she dreads it every day. “Teaching has become a nightmare. We are not just educators anymore, we are counsellors, social workers and administrators all while trying to manage classrooms,” the 34-year-old tells Health-e News. In May last year, Nontobeko became so overwhelmed by the demands of teaching that she was admitted to a mental health facility for 21 days. “It’s too much. We teach more than 30 pupils in a class and have to deal with different behaviours from them.…
Sexual violence is a major crisis in South Africa. In the first week of April 2025 alone, 222 suspects were arrested for rape. But, research shows that many of the complainants in these cases won’t see the inside of a courtroom. Despite South Africa’s strong laws, many gaps in the system contribute to cases falling through the cracks. This is known as rape case attrition. A 2023 study on factors associated with rape case attrition in the South African criminal justice system, found that: 35% of cases were closed by police, 31% were declined by the prosecutors, 16% were enrolled…
The Limpopo Department of Health says it’s still investigating a male nurse over a social media post that sexualises children – nearly a month after a complaint was laid. The Vhembe-based nurse insinuates, in a comment made on Facebook, that he would forcefully have sexual intercourse with a minor child. The comment was made in the wake of reports of the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl dubbed “Cwecwe”. In a complaint to the Health Professions Council, a rape survivor and activist who asked not to be named, wrote that: “These posts aren’t just offensive, they normalise the unthinkable. Suggesting…
A new study suggests that oft quoted data on what people died of is not showing the full picture. (Image: Anna Shvets/Pexels) News & Features 24th April 2025 | Chris Bateman It is widely acknowledged among health and demographic experts that relying solely on what is written on death certificates does not paint an accurate picture of what people in South Africa are actually dying of. Now, an SAMRC study has provided evidence that the undercounting of deaths due to HIV might be even greater than previously thought. Many in health circles were surprised by a recent South African Medical…
A number of legal challenges have been launched against the National Health Insurance (NHI), raising concerns about its constitutional validity, potential impact on the private healthcare sector, and financial sustainability. While the NHI aims to achieve universal access to quality healthcare for all, it has been widely contested and faced scrutiny even before President Cyril Ramaphosa signed it into law in May last year. We provide a breakdown of the legal challenges levelled against the NHI. South African Medical Association SAMA is an industry association with a membership of around 17500 medical doctors. Sections of the Act they have issues…
Professor Francois Venter, a clinician researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand, is one of the foremost HIV research scientists in South Africa. (Photo: Supplied) Comment & Analysis 23rd April 2025 | Francois Venter We’re watching the largest HIV treatment programme in the world unravelling in real time. We don’t need perfection, but we do need a combination of urgency, action, and strategy to save it, argues Professor Francois Venter. We are about to see a wave of new HIV infections, sickness, and death, with children born infected in record numbers. We will see our public hospitals further overwhelmed, and…