NHI: A tale of two hospitals
National Health Insurance is supposed to shrink the gulf between the public and private health sector. SECTION27 Researcher Thabang Pooe recently experienced both sides in one day. Here she reflects on her observations.
Episode 3: Sasha Stevenson on what NHI and HMI means for healthcare reform in South Africa
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At a recent civil society meeting jointly hosted by SECTION27 and Spotlight, Sasha Stevenson, head of health at SECTION27, presented on the implications of NHI and HMI for access to healthcare in South Africa. We now make her informative and thought-provoking presentation available as a podcast. (We apologise for the poor quality of the recording.)
Episode 2: Life Esidimeni revisited
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In episode 2 we catch up with the processes around the Life Esidimeni tragedy. Christine Nxumalo discusses what further action the families are hoping for. Tendai Mafuma provides fascinating insights into the prospects for criminal liability. Mark Heywood gives his views on the politics surrounding the case and what that means for accountability.
Life Esidimeni Arbitration: Testimonies
SECTION27 is representing 66 families whose loved ones passed away as a result of the Marathon Project. The arbitration heard heartbreaking testimony from family members – represented separately by SECTION27, The Legal Aid Clinic and Solidarity – about the state in which they found their loved ones.
The state of PrEP access in SA
Thuthukile Mbatha is a researcher at SECTION27, and an advocacy fellow for the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC). She runs an advocacy project that calls for access to Pre-Exposure Prophlylaxis (PrEP) for young women in higher education institutions.
Looking back to look forward: the next 21 years of the Constitution
On 10 December 2017 the Constitution Hill Trust marked the 21 years since the signing of our Constitution by holding a lekgotla in the foyer of the Constitutional Court. Present were a rare combination of judges, former judges, lawyers (past present and future), politicians, activists and school children. On a stormy Highveld afternoon, in the shadow of the Johannesburg version of the Arch for the Arch, they debated the achievements and failings of the Constitution, as well as our relationship with it. Below is an edited version of comments made by Mark Heywood, the Director of SECTION27.
Ambulance emergency in the Eastern Cape
By Mluleki Marongo, SECTION27 Researcher – If you call an ambulance in Johannesburg, there’s a good chance you will be in a hospital within 45 minutes; if you call an ambulance in rural Eastern Cape, you will probably die before it arrives. Sadly, that has been the case for decades.
Community health workers: A Spotlight in-depth feature
The role of community health workers in the South African public healthcare system has been unclear and controversial. How many do we need? What exactly should their role be? Who should employ them? What should they be paid? Is there good evidence to inform policy? Sasha Stevenson of SECTION27 lead Spotlight’s in-depth investigation into these pressing questions.
New Emergency, New urgency
By Nomatter Ndebele – Following a 10 000-strong activist march on the first day of the International AIDS conference in Durban, the Treatment Action Campaign and SECTION27 hosted a press conference to outline the strategy of the activist groups beyond the conference.