INTERVIEW: Dr Lebogang Phahladira on his journey from studying by candlelight to winning a major schizophrenia research award

By Biénne Huisman, May 29, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Mental Health

In his Twitter biography, Dr Lebogang Phahladira describes himself as “a rookie clinician-researcher who keeps trying and trying”. This clearly paid off, as Phahladira earlier this month received a major global schizophrenia research award. As part of Spotlight’s coverage on mental health this month, Biénne Huisman spoke to him about growing up in rural Limpopo, his first impressions of city life, and the decision to specialise in schizophrenia.

INTERVIEW: Dr Lebogang Phahladira on his journey from studying by candlelight to winning a major schizophrenia research award

Groote Schuur Hospital clears backlog of 1 500 surgeries

By Elri Voigt, May 26, 2023

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Provinces, Western Cape

Much of South Africa’s public health sector is plagued by long waiting times for surgery, a situation that was made much worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, an inspiring project at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town has reached its target of slashing its backlog by 1 500 surgeries. Elri Voigt reports.

Tags: COVID-19 elective surgery featured Gift of the Givers Groote Schuur Hospital health budgets healthcare workers ICU nurses Lydia Cairncross nurses post-operative care Public Health public hospitals surgeries surgery backlogs surgical care Surgical Recovery Project Western Cape Department of Health

Groote Schuur Hospital clears backlog of 1 500 surgeries

Too scared to come to work, nurse says amid rising security concerns at Eastern Cape health facilities

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, May 25, 2023

Posted in: Eastern Cape, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Provinces

There are serious concerns over the safety of health workers at public health facilities in the Eastern Cape, with some healthcare workers saying they are scared to go to work. Although the provincial health department says it shares this concern, the department remains tight-lipped over its plans and the relevant security contracts. Luvuyo Mehlwana spoke to union representatives, healthcare workers, and some security personnel about the situation.

Tags: Denosa Dora Nginza Hospital Eastern Cape Eastern Cape clinics Eastern Cape Department of Health Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth featured healthcare workers hospital security Nelson Mandela Bay Metro nurses occupational health and safety Occupational Health and Safety Act public health facilities safety and security security contracts

Too scared to come to work, nurse says amid rising security concerns at Eastern Cape health facilities

New report paints grim, but incomplete picture of cancer in SA

By Ufrieda Ho, May 24, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

The World Health Organization in February this year said that an estimated 1.1 million new cancer cases are being reported in Africa each year with around 700 000 deaths from cancer. A recent report provides important new data on cancer in South Africa, but the picture remains incomplete. Ufrieda Ho reports.

Tags: access to cancer care breast cancer Cancer Alliance cervical cancer colorectal cancer Department of Health featured health data lubg cancer National Cancer Registry National Health Laboratory Service National Institute for Communicable Diseases National Strategic Framework for Cancer NHLS NICD StatsSA

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New report paints grim, but incomplete picture of cancer in SA

New policies aim to integrate mental health support into HIV services

By Thabo Molelekwa, May 23, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Research suggests that people living with HIV are more likely to have mental health conditions than the general population. There seems to be consensus that HIV programmes would benefit from including better mental health screening and support services. Two new policy documents – the Mental Health Policy Framework and the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs – have a lot to say about providing such integrated services, but will they result in actual changes on the ground? Thabo Molelekwa reports.

Tags: Aurum Institute chronic diseases depression featured Global Mental Health Network HIV HIV screening HIV treatment HIV treatment adherence mental health mental health screening National Mental Health Policy Framework National Strategic Plan for HIV non-communicable diseases primary healthcare Public Healthcare

New policies aim to integrate mental health support into HIV services

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

By Adele Baleta, May 22, 2023

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Millions of doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine procured by the South African government have expired and the shot is largely unavailable to people in the country. Meanwhile, earlier this month, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’. Adele Baleta asks what all this means for COVID-19 in South Africa.

Tags: BioNtech/Pfizer Caprisa COVID-19 COVID-19 booster COVID-19 vaccine Department of Health featured Johnson and Johnson Public Health Emergency of International Concern SAHPRA SARS-CoV-2 South African Health Products Regulatory Authority Tedros Ghebreyesus vaccine stock WHO

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

OPINION: HIV Testing is changing in South Africa, here’s why it’s a good thing

By René Sparks, May 19, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest

South Africa has been using HIV Rapid Diagnostic Tests (Finger prick same-day testing) for years. Now, the National Department of Health has decided to align with the World Health Organization’s recommendation of a new three-test algorithm to ensure accuracy of results. René Sparks unpacks why this is important.

Tags: 95-95-95 targets and STIs ELISA featured HIV HIV Prevention HIV Rapid Diagnostic Tests HIV testing HIV testing algorithm National HIV Testing Services National Strategic Plan for HIV Policy and the Quality Assurance Guidelines for HIV Rapid Testing Pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP rapid tests TB UNAIDS World Health Organization

OPINION: HIV Testing is changing in South Africa, here’s why it’s a good thing

In-Depth: Mpumalanga’s healthcare worker shortage and what is being done about it

By Nthusang Lefafa, May 18, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Mpumalanga, Provinces

There are over 100 clinics in Mpumalanga without visiting doctors, hundreds waiting on surgeries in hospitals due to a lack of surgeons and other specialists, and only 60 working ambulances meant to service a population of over four million healthcare users. Nthusang Lefafa unpacks these challenges and asks the province’s health department about its plans.

Tags: ambulances clinical staff community healthcare workers district clinical specialist teams Emergency Medical Norms and Standards EMS featured health budget healthcare workers Human Resources Training grant Jane Sithole Mpumalanga Mpumalanga Department of Health NHI grant primary health reengineering public health facilities public health sector RHAP rural health staff shortages Uthombo Youth Development Foundation Witbank Hospital

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In-Depth: Mpumalanga’s healthcare worker shortage and what is being done about it

Rheumatology in SA: Patients pay the price for shortage of specialists

By Elna Schütz, May 17, 2023

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

South Africa’s shortage of rheumatologists often results in patients struggling to access the treatment and care they need, especially for public sector patients and people living in rural areas. Elna Schütz asks several local experts about the state of rheumatology in the country.

Tags: Access to Health arthritis autoimmune diseases Council for Medical Schemes (CMS)Department of Health Essential Drug List featured gout Groote Schuur Hospital health worker training healthcare workers joint diseases Medical Aid muscular-skeletal disorders PMBs Prescribed Minimum Benefits public health sector rare diseases rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatologist rheumatology South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA)

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Rheumatology in SA: Patients pay the price for shortage of specialists

FACE TO FACE: Prof Naeemah Abrahams on breaking feminist stereotypes and “fighting through research and analyses”

By Biénne Huisman, May 16, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

Professor Naeemah Abrahams, who heads the SAMRC’s Gender and Health Unit has been working in the field of gender-based violence (GBV) for thirty years. Activism always underpinned her research, which has focused on post-rape care, intimate partner femicide, and the interface between GBV and HIV. Biénne Huisman sat down with her to talk about her work, her feminism, and getting men to interrogate their perceptions of masculinity.

Tags: featured femicide feminism GBV Gender and Health Research Unit gender based violence HIV Naeemah Abrahams National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Public Health Rachel Jewkes SAMRC Sexual and reproductive health Sexual Violence Research Initiative The Equality Institute Total Shutdown WHO

FACE TO FACE: Prof Naeemah Abrahams on breaking feminist stereotypes and “fighting through research and analyses”

90-60-50: Can SA reach its hypertension targets?

By Elri Voigt, May 15, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

South Africa’s National Strategic Plan for NCDs sets three key targets related to hypertension that the country has to achieve to reduce the burden of hypertension in the country. Elri Voigt asks experts how South Africa is performing against these targets and where improvement is most needed.

Tags: blood pressure Division of Nephrology and Hypertension at the University of Cape Town featured hypertension Hypertension treatment coverage May Measure Month National Strategic Plan (NSP) for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2022-2027)NCD Risk Factor Collaboration NCDs non-communicable diseases silent killer

90-60-50: Can SA reach its hypertension targets?

Opinion: Why I became a nurse and what’s needed to fix nursing in SA

By René Sparks, May 12, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

René Sparks qualified as a nurse 21 years ago. Now, on International Nurses Day, she reflects on her journey and what’s needed to ensure a better future for nursing in South Africa.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy community health Denosa featured healthcare workers human resources Integrated Management of Childhood Illness International Nurses Day National Health Insurance NHI nurse nurse colleges nurse training nursing public health facilities public health system SANC South African Nursing Council