Back To Blog
COVID-19: The role of next-generation vaccines in immunity

COVID-19: The role of next-generation vaccines in immunity

By Aisha Abdool Karim,
Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest, Science

Indications are that the virus that causes COVID-19 is going to continue evolving and escaping the protection against infection people already have. Researchers are working on next-generation vaccines tailored to fight off specific versions of the virus, like the Omicron sub-lineages BA.4 and BA.5. But can these new vaccines be tested and produced fast enough to keep up with the rapidly changing virus? Aisha Abdool Karim asked some local experts.

Read More

Tags:
Differing views on Gauteng’s new health information system

Differing views on Gauteng’s new health information system

By Thabo Molelekwa,
Posted in: Gauteng, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

In January, the computer system at the George Mukhari Hospital broke down with serious implications for patient care. In an effort to improve service delivery and the quality of healthcare services, the Gauteng Department of Health in 2020, announced that it would be upgrading its information technology system. Thabo Molelekwa looked at the progress of the new system in light of the ongoing challenges at the George Mukhari Hospital.

Read More

Tags:
2 Comments
Child and adolescent mental health services in crisis, report finds

Child and adolescent mental health services in crisis, report finds

By Tiyese Jeranji and Alicestine October,
Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health

The latest edition of the South African Child Gauge focuses on child and adolescent mental health and highlights the importance of early interventions for good mental health outcomes. Tiyese Jeranji looked at the report’s findings and recommendations and asked the health department how it will tackle issues highlighted about child and adolescent mental health in the country.

Read More

Tags:
COVID-19 blamed for shortcomings of ‘ideal clinics’ in Free State  

COVID-19 blamed for shortcomings of ‘ideal clinics’ in Free State  

By Refilwe Mochoari,
Posted in: COVID-19, Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, NHI, Provinces

There are 83 clinics – down from 153 in 2018/19 – in the Free State with Ideal Clinic status, meaning they have adequate staff, infrastructure, and medicines, among others. For many primary health facilities, this accreditation status is crucial for the National Health Insurance, however, some of these ideal clinics still have various shortcomings. Refilwe Mochoari reports.  

Read More

Tags:
Are youth-only clinics the answer to better healthcare for young people?

Are youth-only clinics the answer to better healthcare for young people?

By Tiyese Jeranji,
Posted in: Child health, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Healthcare system, HIV, Latest, Reproductive Health, SRHR

Special youth clinics appear to be an effective means of providing healthcare services to young people who otherwise might not engage with healthcare services. But is building more youth clinics realistic given our resource constraints, or is it better to focus on making ‘normal’ clinics more youth-friendly – or should we be looking beyond clinic-based healthcare services altogether? Tiyese Jeranji investigates.

Read More

Tags:
Open Letter: Dr Mokgethi, you must act to address Gauteng’s oncology challenges

Open Letter: Dr Mokgethi, you must act to address Gauteng’s oncology challenges

By Warren Potter,
Posted in: Gauteng, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

For many cancer activists, cancer patients, and their families the radiation oncology challenges in Gauteng have reached a crisis point. Many believe this oncology crisis is allowed to escalate in the absence of tangible proactive action by the Gauteng government. In this case, no news is not good news, writes Warren Potter as he asks Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi for answers.

Read More

Tags:
PART 2 – How can we reduce incidence of cerebral palsy in SA?

PART 2 – How can we reduce incidence of cerebral palsy in SA?

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest

It is estimated that around half of medical negligence claims against the South African government are cerebral palsy-type claims. Apart from the direct impact on infants and families, cerebral palsy thus also has a major impact on health budgets. In this second article in a two-part series, Elri Voigt asks what can be done to reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy in the country. In part 1 we looked at what we know about cerebral palsy in South Africa.

Read More

Tags:
In-depth: Cerebral palsy in SA – Part 1

In-depth: Cerebral palsy in SA – Part 1

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest

It is estimated that around half of medical negligence claims against the South African government are cerebral palsy-type claims. Apart from the direct impact on infants and families, cerebral palsy thus also has a major impact on health budgets. In this first article in a two-part series, Elri Voigt asks what we know about cerebral palsy in South Africa. In part 2 we will look at what can be done to reduce the incidence of cerebral palsy in the country.

Read More

Tags:
Report finds some improvement at Mpumalanga clinics, but serious challenges remain

Report finds some improvement at Mpumalanga clinics, but serious challenges remain

By Nthusang Lefafa,
Posted in: Access to Medicines, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV, Latest, Mpumalanga, Provinces

The community-led clinic monitoring project, Ritshidze last week, released its follow-up report on the state of (primary) healthcare in Mpumalanga. There were some improvements, but patients are still waiting over four hours to be seen at some clinics. Nthusang Lefafa unpacks some of the report’s findings and asked the health department about its plans to address these shortcomings.

Read More

Tags:
Monkeypox: Our top 10 questions  answered

Monkeypox: Our top 10 questions  answered

By Elri Voigt,
Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest, Science

This week South Africa recorded its first case of monkeypox. Spotlight asked the experts and consulted WHO and NICD documents for answers to our top ten questions about monkeypox.

Read More

Tags:
Unacceptably long wait for surgery in Free State, healthcare workers and patients say

Unacceptably long wait for surgery in Free State, healthcare workers and patients say

By Refilwe Mochoari,
Posted in: COVID-19, Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

Surgical waiting lists are not unexpected in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are indications that the situation is particularly acute in the Free State, and possibly for reasons that are not directly related to the pandemic. Also, the department of health failed to offer any explanation or details of current surgery waiting lists and waiting times reported by healthcare workers and patients. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Read More

Tags:
NORTH WEST HEALTH: The hits and misses of the section 100 intervention

NORTH WEST HEALTH: The hits and misses of the section 100 intervention

By Nthusang Lefafa,
Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

The North West Health Department was placed under administration in 2018 following several governance failures and allegations of fraud and corruption that resulted in widespread service delivery protests. Now, almost four years later as the period under administration is set to come to an end, Nthusang Lefafa asks what has improved under administration and what has not.

Read More

Tags:
1 … 42 43 44 45 46 … 60