OPINION: NHI Bill must still clear many hurdles to ensure adequate medicine access

By Yanga Nokhepheyi, Marlise Richter, and Fatima Hassan, February 17, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, NHI

The Health Department’s recent response to submissions and its own recommendations on amendments to the National Health Insurance Bill sadly does not realise the gravity of the threat to the future of medicine selection and access. As the Bill currently stands, it will leave us at the mercy of advisory committees that bear no duty to be transparent in deciding which medicines people will be able to access under NHI, the authors argue.

OPINION: NHI Bill must still clear many hurdles to ensure adequate medicine access

Analysis: Why has the price of this cancer medicine risen and fallen by over a thousand percent since 2016?

By Catherine Tomlinson, February 15, 2023

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Healthcare system, Latest

Lenalidomide is an important medicine used for the treatment of multiple myeloma – a type of bone marrow cancer that is not curable and typically requires long-term, ongoing treatment. Over the last decade, the price of this drug has fluctuated dramatically in South Africa and patients and their doctors have gone to extreme lengths to access it. Catherine Tomlinson unpacks the remarkable recent history of lenalidomide.

Tags: access to cancer care access to medicine bone marrow cancer Bristol Myers cancer medicine pricing clinical haematology Department of Health Essential Medicines List featured generic medicine lenalidomide MCC multiple myeloma Revlimid SAHPRA Section 21 authorisations South African Health Products Regulatory Authority stop stockouts WHO

Analysis: Why has the price of this cancer medicine risen and fallen by over a thousand percent since 2016?

R27m needed to get Eastern Cape EMS plan off the ground

By Siyabonga Kamnqa, February 14, 2023

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

In October last year, Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth announced a three-phase plan to address key challenges with the province’s emergency medical services. Siyabonga Kamnqa visited All Saints Hospital in Ngcobo – one of the 28 priority hospitals targeted in the plan to see what progress has been made.

Tags: All Saints Hospital ambulances casualty Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Eastern Cape Health MEC Nomakhosazana Meth Emergency Medical Service Emergency Medical Services EMS regulations featured health budgets health worker shortages Madwaleni Hospital Paramedics public health facilities rural health rural healthcare

R27m needed to get Eastern Cape EMS plan off the ground

Progress in Charlotte Maxeke recovery, but HR and other problems persist

By Ufrieda Ho, February 6, 2023

Posted in: COVID-19, Gauteng, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

It is a race against the clock to keep to the timetable for repairs at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. This as Gauteng’s public healthcare needs mount and the challenges of alleged criminal activity and inefficiencies at the hospital persist. Ufrieda Ho reports.

Tags: Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital COVID-19 featured fire safety Gauteng Department of Health Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and development health and safety health budgets health infrastructure healthworker shortages surgery backlogs

Progress in Charlotte Maxeke recovery, but HR and other problems persist

Northern Cape health still without permanent head as suspended officials return

By Refilwe Mochoari, February 1, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Northern Cape, Provinces

Two senior officials have returned to the Northern Cape Department of Health following suspension, but the department remains without a permanent head. Opposition parties and trade union DENOSA have expressed concern over the impact the leadership instability is having on healthcare services in the province. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Tags: Corruption in Health featured Hawks Head of Health health infrastructure health management healthcare workers HODs Marupeng Lekwene Northern Cape Department of Health Northern Cape Health MEC Maruping Lekwane NPA public health administration public health facilities Riaan Strydom SIU

Northern Cape health still without permanent head as suspended officials return

Opinion: Changing the law on sex work will save lives, we must see it through

By Marlise Richter and Pamela Chakuvinga, January 27, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Reproductive Health, Sex Work, SRHR

In December 2022, the Minister of Justice, Ronald Lamola, set into motion a public participation process on the laws that govern sex work in South Africa. Marlise Richter & Pamela Chakuvinga point out that while the Bill published for public comment in December is very short, it will do something quite extraordinary if it does become law – it will fully decriminalise sex work. This, they argue, is a process we must see through.

Tags: AIDS epidemic Asijiki Coalition for the Decriminalisation of Sex work decriminalisation of sex work featured HIV prevalence HIV transmission key populations LGBTQIA+ community National Strategic Plan (NSP) for HIV Public Health Ronald Lamola SALRC sex work sex workers Sexual Offences Act and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Stigma The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill

Opinion: Changing the law on sex work will save lives, we must see it through

As with COVID-19, the effects of TB can linger long after it is cured

By Tiyese Jeranji, January 26, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, TB

According to the World Health Organization, of the roughly 10 million people who fall ill with TB annually, over 80% survive, in most cases due to a six-month treatment course. Unfortunately, as with long COVID, being cured is not always the last hurdle and many people go on to struggle with post-TB lung disease. Tiyese Jeranji asked local experts about this sometimes-neglected area of TB care.

Tags: Africa Health Research Institute AHRI chronic lung disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COVID-19 Division of Pulmonology at Groote Schuur Hospital environmental pollution featured immunity long-COVID lung function lung health lung ventilation techniques post-TB lung disease pulmonary rehabilitation Pulmonology TB TB survivors TB symptoms Tuberculosis Platform at the South African Medical Research Council World Health Organization

As with COVID-19, the effects of TB can linger long after it is cured

This is why Mpumalanga is repurposing some TB hospitals

By Nthusang Lefafa, January 25, 2023

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces, TB

The Mpumalanga Health Department plans to repurpose three TB hospitals due to dwindling numbers of in-patients at these hospitals. The hospitals – Bongani TB Hospital, Standerton TB Hospital, and Barberton TB Hospital – will be used for other health services. Nthusang Lefafa asked the department what prompted this and what it means for the TB response in the province.

Tags: Barberton TB Hospital Bongani TB Hospital digital chest X-rays District Health Barometer DR TB DS-TB featured mobile X-ray screening Mpumalanga Department of Health Standerton TB Hospital TB hospitals TB response TB screening TB testing tuberculosis

This is why Mpumalanga is repurposing some TB hospitals

In-Depth: As schools open, will measles outbreaks get worse?

By Elri Voigt, January 23, 2023

Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest

Almost 400 cases of measles have been reported across five provinces over the last four months. The NICD has advised that clinicians should be on high alert, as the opening of schools may lead to localised outbreaks. Elri Voigt reports on the current state of the outbreak, the potential outcomes, and what is being done to curtail the spread of measles in the country.

Tags: 2019 Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) National Coverage survey Centre for Vaccines and Immunology child health childhood immunisation Department of Health featured measles measles immunisation campaign measles outbreak National Institute for Communicable Diseases NICD vaccination vaccines

In-Depth: As schools open, will measles outbreaks get worse?

OPINION: Health in 2023 – 13 things to look out for

By Alicestine October and Marcus Low, January 18, 2023

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Mental Health, Provinces, TB

2023 is set to be another tumultuous year for healthcare services, health policy, and governance in South Africa. We’ve picked 13 things to look out for this year arranged under three broad headings: leadership and governance, policy and legislation, and HIV, TB and the NSP.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy access to healthcare access to mental health services cabinet reshuffle corruption Department of Health Dr Joe Phaahla featured Gauteng Department of Health health budgets health governance health MECs health workers loadshedding medical xenophobia mental health mental health framework policy migrant health NHI NHI Bill NHI Fund Nicholas Crisp Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko Parliament provincial health departments public health facilities public procurement Public Procurement Bill Sibongiseni Dhlomo Zondo Commission

OPINION: Health in 2023 – 13 things to look out for

OPINION: 2022’s health budget decisions in review

By Matshidiso Lencoasa, December 20, 2022

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, TB

Health budgets have the power to advance access to healthcare for millions of people in South Africa. This year, however, as the health sector and the economy recovered from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a volatile global environment, the South African government missed opportunities to provide the financial resources to protect access to healthcare for the most vulnerable. Matshidiso Lencoasa unpacks how the past year’s budget choices will affect key public health services.

Tags: antiretroviral therapy cancer resources COVID-19 Department of Health District Health Programmes Grant featured health budget health facilities Health Facility Revitalisation Grant health financing health infrastructure health resources health spending healthcare workers HIV HIV pandemic National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (2022-2027)national treasury non-communicable diseases oncology services TB

OPINION: 2022’s health budget decisions in review

Opinion: Living with a stoma in SA – we deserve better

By Faizel Jacobs, December 19, 2022

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

Our public health system is creating a new type of disability – ostomates who, with access to the necessary care and medical consumables could live long and fulfilled lives, but who every day are subjected to the indignities of inadequate care, writes colorectal cancer survivor and ostomate, Faizel Jacobs.

Tags: colostomy Department of Health Dr Joe Phaahla featured International Ostomy Association nursing council ostomates public health sector Stigma stoma Stoma Management stoma products stoma therapists The South African Society of Ostomates urostomy