Interactive Data Dashboards
Live indicators, province breakdowns and downloadable data.
With the remarkable success of antiretroviral treatment people living with HIV in South Africa are generally living much longer than they did two decades ago. As a result, more people with HIV are also now living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and hypertension. Accordingly, the need to better integrate HIV and NCD services…
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As a type 1 diabetic, first diagnosed only days away from slipping into a hyperglycaemic coma, diabetes education is close to Bridget McNulty’s heart. Biénne Huisman chatted to McNulty about living with the condition, starting South Africa’s largest online diabetes community, and what can be done to improve diabetes education in South Africa.
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Experts describe rising obesity rates in South Africa as an “urgent crisis”, “a tsunami” – even an “epidemic” – that is costing lives, not to mention billions of rands. Tackling the situation warrants an action plan that is as comprehensive and cogent as the problem is dire. But does the new national strategy fit the…
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It is almost three months since – partly through the efforts of SECTION27 and Cancer Alliance – money was made available to the Gauteng Health Department to outsource radiation oncology services and address surgical backlogs in the province. It is deeply worrying that despite being provided with resources for this outsourcing project, very little has…
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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.
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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.
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Obesity is a complicated public health issue that can be devastating on both the societal and the individual level. New weight loss medicines have shown remarkable efficacy in clinical trials, but their high cost is limiting uptake. Amy Green asks where these new medicines should fit into South Africa’s response to rising levels of obesity.
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As one of eight CANSA (Cancer Association of South Africa) homes offering accommodation to cancer patients while on treatment around South Africa, Eikehof in Athlone is a godsend for many. Bienne Huisman visited the facility and spoke to staff and some patients.
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South Africa’s HPV vaccination programme has by all accounts been a resounding success over the last decade, likely helping to prevent many cases of cervical cancer. But the programme has suffered major setbacks due to COVID-19-related disruptions and in addition to getting it back on track, some argue vaccine eligibility should be expanded to include…
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In South Africa we see a disproportionate number of children with severe asthma and as the prevalence of asthma has risen over the years, so did the severity. Data now suggests although prevalence is still high in children, it may be stabilising. However, problems with asthma control, under-diagnosis, and incorrect use of medicine remain. Elri…
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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…
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Asthma is a disease that can be easily controlled through the correct use of medications, yet in many low-and-middle-income countries like South Africa, many still die due to lack of effective management of this disease. According to estimates from the Global Asthma Report 2022, South Africa ranks third out of 28 low-and-middle-income countries for asthma-related…
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