Gauteng state doctors gear up to fight health department over overtime payments

Gauteng state doctors gear up to fight health department over overtime payments

Trade unions, medical associations and universities are raising the alarm that Gauteng budget cuts at the cost of doctors’ take-home pay will have dire consequences for public sector health. Meanwhile, the National Minister of Health has convened a committee to review the future of overtime for state doctors. Ufrieda Ho reports.

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Large numbers of TB survivors in SA struggling with lung damage, experts say

Large numbers of TB survivors in SA struggling with lung damage, experts say

There are over three million people alive in South Africa who have been cured of TB. But even after being cured, many continue to suffer the long-term after-effects of the disease. To find out more about this under-recognised problem, Spotlight recently attended a global gathering of experts focused on life after TB.

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Cape Town study brings hope to newborns left behind in HIV treatment advances

Cape Town study brings hope to newborns left behind in HIV treatment advances

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. Biénne Huisman met with the passionate clinician-scientist at her office in Cape Town.

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Antibiotic resistance is putting SA’s newborns at risk

Antibiotic resistance is putting SA’s newborns at risk

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. Sue Segar asked local experts about this growing threat to newborns.

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How an SAMRC study found that HIV deaths in SA may be massively undercounted

How an SAMRC study found that HIV deaths in SA may be massively undercounted

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. Chris Bateman reports.

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Francois Venter | Our HIV programme is collapsing — and our government is nowhere to be seen

Francois Venter | Our HIV programme is collapsing — and our government is nowhere to be seen

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.

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Controversy and cautious hope collide as Masechaba Sesing heads up Free State health dept

Controversy and cautious hope collide as Masechaba Sesing heads up Free State health dept

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’s Ufrieda Ho about her plans for the department.

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Inside government’s confused response to the US funding crisis

Inside government’s confused response to the US funding crisis

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.

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Inside the SAMRC’s race to rescue health research in SA

Inside the SAMRC’s race to rescue health research in SA

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.

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Tongue swabs – Where might these experimental TB tests eventually fit in?

Tongue swabs – Where might these experimental TB tests eventually fit in?

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. Elri Voigt takes stock of how the test works and asks experts what its future role might be.

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US funding cuts could cause over 150 000 additional HIV infections in SA by 2028 – new study

US funding cuts could cause over 150 000 additional HIV infections in SA by 2028 – new study

Top local researchers estimate that the cancellation of funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief could lead to a significant increase in HIV infections and deaths in South Africa. Jesse Copelyn reports.

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At the heart of Rape Crisis is a group of ‘positive people’, says former director

At the heart of Rape Crisis is a group of ‘positive people’, says former director

Rape Crisis pioneered the first containment counselling service at Cape Town’s inaugural Thuthuzela Care Centre, a model now adopted nationwide. Sue Segar visited staff at the soon to be 50-year-old organisation’s three offices and spoke with a rape survivor who has since become a volunteer at their Khayelitsha branch.

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