Hundreds of people daily search for recyclable materials to sell and food to eat at Arlington and Uitenhage waste disposal sites in Port Elizabeth. Luvuyo Mehlwana spoke to waste pickers about their fears of contracting COVID-19 from waste and to experts about the risks of this happening.
The COVID-19 epidemic in the Western Cape is at least a few weeks ahead of that in South Africa’s other provinces. Some leading doctors in the province have shared some key lessons learned in recent months.
The recent suspension of Professor Ebrahim Variava and the subsequent lifting of his suspension briefly placed the North West Department of Health in the national spotlight – a department that has been under administration for over two years. Marcus Low asks whether the latest developments are just a blip on the department’s road to recovery, or are they symptomatic of still deeply entrenched dysfunction.
Doctors at two of the Western Cape’s most severely impacted COVID-19 hospitals say they have seen positive outcomes from using high-flow nasal oxygen instead of invasive mechanical ventilation. Kathryn Cleary asked doctors at these hospitals to explain how and why this kind of oxygen therapy works so well.
Carefully planned meals, a television in the room and free Wi-Fi, but no alcohol or visitors allowed. Biénne Huisman steps inside one of the Western Cape’s quarantine and isolation hotels.
The controversial suspension of one of the North West province’s senior clinicians two weeks ago, has been lifted with Professor Ebrahim Variava returning to his post as head of internal medicine at the Klerksdorp Tshepong Hospital in North West.
Nosisi Jacobs from Langa in Cape Town is among the over 37 000 people in the Western Cape who have so far recovered after testing positive for COVID-19. Siyabonga Kamnqa spoke to her about her journey from diagnosis, to life under quarantine and finally recovery.
National immunisation rates for children under five years have dropped dramatically over the period of South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown, sparking fears of an outbreak of deadly childhood infectious diseases including measles. Adele Baleta reports.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to act strongly against any corruption and profiteering from the COVID-19 crisis but the systems in place to guard against this may be falling short. Spotlight looked at preliminary spending figures and asked some experts about how public money can be safeguarded during this time.
As COVID-19 cases begin to surge in the North West province one of the province’s leading clinicians has just been suspended for reasons that are unclear. Ufrieda Ho reports.
The Northern Cape Health Department has come under fire from NEHAWU, the DA, residents and healthcare workers for not testing enough and dragging its feet with its COVID-19 response. Refilwe Mekoa and Alicestine October investigate.
Concerns are mounting over people stopping or not starting tuberculosis and HIV treatment during South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown. Nomfundo Xolo spoke to activists and people living with HIV and TB in Hammonds Farm in Verulam in KwaZulu-Natal about the challenges they face.