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Nelson Mandela Bay clinics under siege as crime threatens healthcare
A series of robberies at healthcare facilities in the Eastern Cape has disrupted services, with patients sometimes left waiting outside while clinics limit the number of people allowed in. This follows the provincial health department spending over R700 million on security contracts in the past financial year, reports Luvuyo Mehlwana.
#InTheSpotlight | How will NHI unfold? Here are three possible scenarios
As health department officials move to set up National Health Insurance’s basic structures, including its board, several experts say the scheme remains a pipe-dream, doomed to the same fate as Gauteng’s aborted e-tolls project. In this Spotlight special briefing, Jesse Copelyn outlines three possible scenarios for how NHI might pan out over the coming years.
Why people stop taking their HIV treatment and what we can do about it
Stopping antiretroviral treatment when you are living with HIV can result in increased HIV transmission, illness, hospitalisation, and eventually death. To combat such disengagement with HIV treatment, Professor Graeme Meintjes and colleagues argue we need smarter differentiated care and better education of healthcare workers, people living with HIV, and communities.
Virchow Prize winner Prof Lucy Gilson on SA’s NHI: ‘Service delivery requires people, not just money’
Professor Lucy Gilson scooped the prestigious international Virchow Prize. She chats to Biénne Huisman about her upbringing, unexpected dive into the world of public health, and shares her thoughts on National Health Insurance. She says it will take more than money to fix our health system.
Mandatory health insurance for SA is an ‘upgrade’ on NHI, proponents say
The idea of mandatory medical scheme coverage for employed people has made a comeback after the case for it was made at a recent conference. The policy move was previously on the cards in South Africa but faded after the ANC opted for National Health Insurance (NHI) at its 2007 national congress where Jacob Zuma was elected as the party’s new leader. Chris Bateman unpacks how a system with mandatory medical scheme membership for the employed might work and asked local experts whether it represents a viable alternative to government’s NHI plans.
Nursing in SA is changing, but is it enough to avert an anticipated crisis?
The increased professionalisation of nursing in South Africa in recent years marks a significant shift in the perception and practice of this essential healthcare field. As the country grapples with a critical shortage of nurses and the ongoing challenges of aligning nursing education with new higher education standards, Thabo Molelekwa asks local experts about the future of nursing in the country.
“We were the first ones to do it”: Innovative SA study takes TB testing to people’s homes
Most tuberculosis (TB) tests still require a trip to the clinic. Now, new technology has made it possible to test people at home. This could be a big deal for South Africa, where much TB goes undiagnosed. Tiyese Jeranji unpacks the findings and implications of a recent study into such TB home testing.
OPEN LETTER | Minister of Health Joe Phaahla, make TB a political priority
In this open letter to Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla, TB activists call for the disease to be made a political priority and demand multisectoral departmental accountability. They outline six demands for implementation by the end of this year. The letter was submitted on the final day of the South African TB Conference being held this week in Durban.
Slow progress after decision to make TB prevention pills more widely available
Besides preventing illness and death, tuberculosis prevention therapy is estimated to be highly cost effective. Yet, uptake of the medication is not what it could be in South Africa. Tiyese Jeranji asks how much has changed since the Department of Health last year decided to make TB prevention therapy much more widely available.
Glenda Gray’s fierce fight for science, the COVID-19 ruckus, and the bathroom row about HIV drugs
After a decade at the helm of the country’s primary health research funder, Professor Glenda Gray will focus again on doing the science. She tells Spotlight’s Biénne Huisman about her childhood, her passion for research, administering multi-million dollar grants, and a heated argument in the bathroom with an ANC bigwig.
Competition law has again worked to fight a bad drug patent, but we need other solutions
A Competition Commission probe recently resulted in a patent on an important tuberculosis medicine being dropped in South Africa. Twenty years ago, a similar Competition Commission case resulted in a settlement that helped drive down the prices of several antiretrovirals, thereby helping to set the stage for the country’s HIV treatment programme. Fatima Hassan and Leena Menghaney connect the dots between the two landmark cases and map out what has and has not changed over the last two decades.
Why we don’t have long-acting HIV treatment in South Africa
In South Africa, taking HIV treatment means taking one or more antiretroviral tablets a day. People in some other countries have the additional option of treatment in the form of two injections administered every two months. Elri Voigt unpacks why long-acting HIV treatment is not available in South Africa and asks why the push for HIV prevention jabs has been so much stronger than that for HIV treatment jabs.
Growing the beta variant – young scientist remembers the day they danced in the lab
During South Africa’s COVID-19 hard lockdown, rising star scientist Dr Sandile Cele spent his Christmas holidays in a laboratory. Soon the 35-year-old became the first to successfully grow the beta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in the lab. Biénne Huisman spoke to Cele about how he did this, the string of accolades he received since, and his leap from a modest upbringing to the global scientific stage.
SPOTLIGHT: Under siege — healthcare suffers, workers living in fear as criminals target Nelson Mandela Bay clinics: A series of robberies at healthcare facilities in the Eastern Cape has disrupted services, with patients sometimes left… #MaverickCitizen
MUST READ | NHI Act offers no answer to high medicines prices
For the NHI to financially sustain itself, it will have to either overthrow or better regulate the current medicine over-patenting and pricing transparency system to survive, failing which, NHI money could dry up just…
Experts say the NHI scheme remains a pipe-dream, doomed to the same fate as Gauteng’s aborted e-tolls project. | @SpotlightNSP
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Episode 1: Sexual and reproductive health rights
Aug 23, 2018 • 23:42
In this first episode of the Spotlight podcast host Nomatter Ndebele speaks to Dr Daphney Conco of Wits about what SRHR is and why it matters. We also hear from Vuyokazi Gonyela of TAC about their SRHR work in provinces. Finally, Nomatter chats to Spotlight guest editor Thuthu Mbatha about…
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Episode 2: Life Esidimeni revisited
Aug 28, 2018 • 1:00:42
In episode 2 we catch up with the processes around the Life Esidimeni tragedy. Christine Nxumalo discusses what further action the families are hoping for. Tendai Mafuma provides fascinating insights into the prospects for criminal liability. Mark Heywood gives his views on the politics surrounding the case and what that…
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Episode 3: Sasha Stevenson on what NHI and HMI means for healthcare reform in South Africa
Oct 5, 2018 • 00:18:53
At a recent civil society meeting jointly hosted by SECTION27 and Spotlight, Sasha Stevenson, head of health at SECTION27, presented on the implications of NHI and HMI for access to healthcare in South Africa. We now make her informative and thought-provoking presentation available as a podcast. (We apologise for the…
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Episode 4: Marijuana, health and the law in South Africa
Dec 7, 2018 • 18:41
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Dr Michael Herbst of the Cancer Association of South Africa about the landmark Constitutional Court judgement on the possession and use of marijuana and the judgement’s implications for the health of people in South Africa.
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Episode 5: Dr Fareed Abdullah on South Africa’s AIDS response
Dec 14, 2018 • 22:26
Dr Fareed Abdullah of the SA MRC, previously CEO of SANAC, recently addressed the TAC’s 20-year celebrations. Listen what he had to say about the history of South Africa’s AIDS response and where we are now.
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Episode 6: Justice Edwin Cameron addresses the TAC 20-year celebrations
Dec 14, 2018 • 13:14
Justice Edwin Cameron of South Africa’s Constitutional Court recently addressed attendees at the TAC’s 20-year celebrations. We bring you a recording of what he had to say to TAC members, supporters and allies.
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Episode 7: Lotti Rutter on PEPFAR funding and why we need a People’s COP
Jul 25, 2019 • 24:10
Nomatter Ndebele chats to Lotti Rutter of HealthGAP about what the People’s COP is and why it matters.
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Episode 8: How South Africa is performing against key NSP indicators
Jul 25, 2019 • 19:30
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Spotlight editor Marcus Low about South Africa’s progress against key NSP indicators.
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Episode 9: Rensburg on healthcare reform in South Africa
Jul 25, 2019 • 27:36
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to RHAP director Russell Rensburg about the major reforms underway in the South African healthcare system.
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Episode 10: Siphiwe Mhlangana on the Treatment Action Campaign’s treatment literacy work
Jul 25, 2019 • 21:15
Host Nomatter Ndebele chats to Siphiwe Mhlangana of the TAC about his treatment literacy work and why treatment literacy still matters.
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