Author: Njih Favour

by Kaymarlin Govender, Annamarie Bindenagel Šehović and Damian Naidoo  On January 20, 2025, U.S. President Trump’s second inauguration unleashed a dramatic global health and development policy shift.  Key executive orders included dismantling USAID and withdrawal from the WHO, alongside a broader review of U.S. participation in international organisations and funding for UN agencies like UNESCO, UNHRC, and UNRWA.  These actions have exposed the fragility of global health financing and international cooperation or multilateralism. Fragility of Health Financing Global health financing has long been precarious. For instance, only two African countries – Cabo Verde (15.75%) and South Africa (15.29%) – have…

Health research in South Africa is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the ongoing termination of funding from the United States government. (Photo: CDC/Unsplash) News & Features 15th April 2025 | Catherine Tomlinson Health research in South Africa has been plunged into crisis with the abrupt termination of several large research grants from the US, with more grant terminations expected in the coming days and weeks. Professor Ntobeko Ntusi, head of the South African Medical Research Council, tells Spotlight about efforts to find alternative funding and to preserve the country’s health research capacity. Health research in South Africa is facing…

When 60-year-old Nolamethe Ntintili from Nombanjana, a village in Centane in the Eastern Cape first fell ill in January the family did not think much of it. But her health soon deteriorated.   “Two weeks after she complained about body aches, she couldn’t walk and was in pain. She went quiet and could not eat. The closest hospital from Centane is Butterworth which is about 60km from here. Getting there with public transport costs about R220. She was too sick to use public transport. But to hire private transport costs around R1,500,” Harvey Tshoko, a family member, tells Health-e News. The…

A month after mental health user Klaas Ledwaba was killed in the psychiatric ward at Philadelphia Hospital in Dennilton outside Groblersdal in Limpopo, his family is still waiting for an official cause of death.  The 33-year-old was shot and killed, allegedly by another patient, during an attack. But Ledwaba’s family is still waiting for the post-mortem results. Now, they have approached a lawyer to take matters up with the Limpopo Department of Health.  “It is difficult to sleep or get peace of mind for the family, especially his mother and siblings. Since Klaas was killed on March 8, the provincial…

A simple swab may have a role to play in testing for tuberculosis. (Photo: Thomas G/Pixabay) News & Features 14th April 2025 | Elri Voigt While likely years away from widespread use, a test for TB that relies on a simple tongue swab instead of a person having to cough up sputum is showing promise. Spotlight takes stock of how the test works and asks experts what its future role might be. Most tuberculosis (TB) tests are conducted on sputum samples. The difficulty with this is that many people, particularly children and people living with HIV, struggle to cough up…

The National Health Council has allocated R1.78 billion for the recruitment of 1,200 doctors, 200 nurses, and 259 additional healthcare professionals. On Thursday, the National Health Council which comprised Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and provincial Health MECs, provided an update on various health matters, including the recruitment of health professionals, the procurement of medical equipment, and the announcement of new ministerial advisory committees. In January, the South African Medical Association (SAMA) raised concerns about 1,800 unemployed junior doctors.  The following month Motsoaledi told Parliament that demand for employment, both for healthcare professionals and for community service posts, has grown…

by Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Directors, Ms. Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS and Ms. Lydia Zigomo, UNFPA, and Acting Regional Director, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO Africa Region  Princess Chitsuro has transformed her life. Born with HIV, she only learned her status as a young adult. Overcome with shock and fear, she initially distanced herself from everyone – friends, community, even her own future.  But denial only lasts so long. When she became pregnant, Princess was unaware that she could prevent transmitting HIV to her unborn child. She learned that she could, after joining a mentorship programme for young mothers. There, she…

US President Donald Trump’s administration has cut life-saving aid to many African countries. (Photo: White House/Shealah Craighead) News & Features 10th April 2025 | Jesse Copelyn Top local researchers estimate that the cancellation of funding from a multi-billion dollar US initiative that supports HIV-related services globally could lead to a significant increase in HIV infections and deaths in South Africa. The cancellation of US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding to South Africa could cause between 150 000 and 295 000 additional HIV infections by the end of 2028. This is unless the South African government covers some…

Rape is the most common crime committed against children in the country, yet few will see justice.  According to Statistics South Africa’s reports on crimes against children, rape accounted for 38.3% of all crimes against children in the 2022/2023 financial year. Only a fraction of cases were enrolled for trial by the National Prosecuting Authority.  The seven-year-old Grade 1 pupil was allegedly raped and drugged in one of the classrooms at her school, Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape in October last year. The matter was brought to the public’s attention in early April when the mother shared her daughter’s…

This project is funded by: An Eastern Cape woman and her family are demanding answers from the health department after an unfortunate series of events that took place more than a year ago left her with life-altering injuries from an operation. Nomveliso Nqeketho wants to live a normal life again. (Photo: Supplied) In 2023, 42-year-old Nomveliso Nqeketho from Mqwangqweni in Ngqeleni was pregnant with her second child and attended regular antenatal appointments at her local clinic. However, in December, in her final month of pregnancy, her feet and face started swelling, and she decided to visit Canzibe Hospital, the closest…