Author: Njih Favour

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…

Masechaba Sesing is the head of the Department of Health in the Free State. (Photo: Supplied) News & Features 22nd April 2025 | Ufrieda Ho With a new head, there is quiet optimism in some circles that a turnaround in the Free State Department of Health’s fortunes could be on the cards. Masechaba Sesing talked to Spotlight about her plans for the department. Interest in the appointment of the new head of department (HOD) at Free State health has churned with equal parts controversy, confusion, and cautious hope that the beleaguered department – in a beleaguered province – can steady…

Since 2022, the Eastern Cape has experienced annual heavy rains that have damaged almost 120 clinics and hospitals.  This constant cycle of destruction and repair of these facilities has strained the already cash-strapped health department’s budget.  Provincial health spokesperson Siyanda Manana says the severity and frequency of weather events appear to have increased over the past five years. “The provincial health department has not been spared from the harsh reality of climate change, with coastal districts being particularly affected,” he says. Destructive weather cycles  In December 2022,  47 health facilities across five districts were damaged by storms and heavy rains.…

Patients will be able to receive health services at Tembisa Hospital while investigations into the cause of the fire that destroyed the accident and emergency unit (casualty) on Saturday continue. All other units at the hospital will be operational because of a continuity plan put in place by Gauteng health MEC, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, to ensure that healthcare facilities remain operational in times of disasters. Nkomo-Ralehoko briefed the media on Sunday evening after doing a walk-about at the burnt-down hospital unit.  She reported that all 81 patients who were in the casualty unit when the fire started were unharmed. Some were…

At least 85 people, including 79 and six staff member, were safely evacuated from Tembisa Provincial Hospital on Saturday evening after part of the facility caught fire.  “The fire is only limited to the external emergency area. The rest of the hospital, the wards, and other areas are functional. The hospital will remain closed for now and will not receive any other patients until the status is updated,” says Gauteng health Head of Depatment Lesiba Malotana. A photo taken by a bystander. A joint operation centre has been established, where the disaster management teams from the City of Ekurhuleni and…

Rape in South Africa has been described a societal and public health crisis. It’s estimated that 40,000 cases have been reported every year over the last decade. But research shows that most survivors do not report their rape to the police. The implications are that survivors often don’t receive much-needed post rape medical care or mental health support.  Several organisations in South Africa are working hard to support survivors and help them understand their rights and what happens in the process of seeking justice. One of these organisations is the Networking HIV and AIDS Community of Southern Africa  (NACOSA).   Health-e…

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. (Photo: Kopano Tlape/GCIS) News & Features 17th April 2025 | Jesse Copelyn In late-January, the US suspended billions of dollars worth of international aid, including for HIV-related programmes in South Africa. The South African government could have responded by triggering an emergency funding mechanism but has failed to do so yet. In the meantime, activists, health researchers and even technical advisors to government are growing increasingly frustrated with the government’s lack of transparency on this issue. In order to finance some of the health services that have been defunded by the US, the National Department…

The Gauteng Department of Health is facing a difficult decision between implementing cost-cutting measures and maintaining quality of care. The department has recently enforced stringent cost-saving actions, such as reducing commuted overtime pay and terminating doctors’ short-term contracts (sessional doctors). Several clinicians and leadership from medical schools and industry professional bodies released a statement rejecting the austerity measures, calling on the department to reverse its decision. The health professionals argue that the 20 hours of overtime doctors are currently putting in are vital in making sure that doctors are available beyond the standard 8-hour workday.    However, Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale…