Author: Njih Favour
Official death statistics in South Africa are based on what doctors write on death certificates. (Photo: Shutterstock) Comment & Analysis 30th May 2025 | Pam Groenewald and Debbie Bradshaw Several studies have flagged problems with South Africa’s death registration processes. A critical first step to addressing it is to replace our paper-based process with an electronic one, argue Dr Pam Groenewald and Professor Debbie Bradshaw, both of the SAMRC’s Burden of Disease Research Unit. A recent report by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) highlights the under-reporting of HIV in official mortality statistics. Official cause of death statistics are…
The Department of Employment and Labour has shut down another state-run mortuary in the Free State over unsafe and unhygienic working conditions. This week labour department inspectors visited the forensic pathology service in Phuthaditjhaba where they found a series of occupational health and safety violations including broken fridges and blocked sewage. The government mortuary in Bloemfontein was closed in October 2024 after similar working conditions were found. These included water leakages that posed a risk of electrocution and inadequate ventilation in the post-mortem room. The facility was reopened briefly in January before it was shut down again. It was, once…
This project is funded by: A former government employee at La Lucia clinic in Durban and at least one accomplice are selling antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to members of the public. Following up on a tip-off from a source, Health-e News got in touch with the former government employee, posing as a potential buyer. In a recorded phone call the man explains how the operation works: “He [the accomplice still working at the clinic] said for a year it’s R2000 – that’s 12 containers. That’s how he takes them out. That means 6 would be R1000 — but I’ll have to ask…
There are two vaccines against shingles – an often painful and debilitating condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox – but neither are available in South Africa. (Photo: Frank Merino/Pexels) News & Features 27th May 2025 | Catherine Tomlinson The only shingles vaccine on the market in South Africa was discontinued last year. A newer and better vaccine is being used in some other countries, but has not yet been registered in South Africa, though it can be obtained by those with money who are willing to jump through some hoops. Shingles is a common and painful condition…
Over 1,400 cervical cancer patients in Gauteng are set to be transferred to already overstretched public hospitals following the abrupt closure of several cervical cancer screening and prevention clinics operated by the Clinical HIV Research Unit (CHRU). The closures come after the CHRU, a leading cervical cancer screening and research unit in South Africa, announced it would cease operations due to recent U.S. funding cuts under President Donald Trump’s administration, which saw the abrupt withdrawal of support from programmes like President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and National Institute of Health (NIH) backed clinical research initiatives. For the past…
This project is funded by: In Embo, a small community outside Hillcrest, northwest of Durban, Maxwell “Starring” Nxele (56) is changing lives, one punch and leg lift at a time. Maxwell “Starring” Nxele wants to give back to his community. (Photo: Sandile Mbili) The karate sensei and professional fitness trainer who’s a branch chief of the World Kyokushin MMA Federation in South Africa, uses his skills to get people moving by hosting aerobic exercise and training classes at a local hall. In January this year, the father of five started free group fitness classes because he wanted to ‘give back…
Huge gains have been made in reducing the number of children who acquire HIV, yet this progress seems to have stabilised in recent years. (Photo: Note Thanun/Unsplash) News & Features 26th May 2025 | Elri Voigt Massive gains have been made in reducing new HIV infections and deaths in children. Yet, many of the statistics for children still look worse than those for adults. Spotlight asked experts why this is the case and what factors prevent children living with HIV from starting and staying on the treatment that can keep them healthy. Of the 157 000 children living with HIV…
by Dr Bulela Vava, President of the Public Oral Health Forum The ongoing Human Resources for Health policy review, led by a Ministerial Advisory Committee appointed by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, offers a crucial opportunity to disrupt and redesign the future of leadership in South Africa’s healthcare system. Yet, with disappointing predictability, the same outdated patterns continue to play out. For instance, the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) is looking to fill the position of Executive Manager: Health Standards Development, Analysis and Support; a strategic, high-level leadership role tasked with shaping the metrics by which quality and safety in…
22 May SAHPRA Approves First WHO EUL Mpox Test Kit Pretoria, 22 May 2025 –The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), having applied Reliance on the World Health Organization (WHO) PQ assessment under Emergency Use Listing, has listed the first mpox (monkeypox) in vitro diagnostic (IVD). This serves as an important step in improving global access to mpox testing by using a reliance process. The emergency use approval of the Alinity m MPX assay, developed by Abbott Molecular Inc. and licensed to Abbott Laboratories South Africa (Pty) Ltd, represents a critical advancement in expanding diagnostic capacity amid mpox outbreaks. Rapid and accurate testing is essential for early detection, timely treatment, and effective containment of the virus. “For…
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has described the state of public hospitals in South Africa as a serious concern that requires the collective efforts of all political parties and levels of government. Delivering the third iteration of the 2025 budget speech on Wednesday, Godongwana announced targeted budget allocations to improve public health infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics. The health department’s total budget will increase from R277 billion in the 2024/25 financial year to R296 billion in 2025/26. Before presenting the health budget, Godongwana read an emotional open letter from Sarah Stein, a young medical student at the University of Cape Town.…