Analysis: What does a security guard strike reveal about the Eastern Cape Department of Health?

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, February 21, 2022

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

Security guards at healthcare facilities in Nelson Mandela Bay went on strike in January when their salaries had not been paid. During the strike, healthcare workers had to close some clinics as they feared for their safety, and patients were left stranded. Luvuyo Mehlwana reports on what happened and asked the health authorities what plans are in place to prevent similar incidents amid persistent budget constraints.

Analysis: What does a security guard strike reveal about the Eastern Cape Department of Health?

Report raises concern over child nutrition in rural Eastern Cape

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, November 17, 2021

Posted in: Child health, COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

Findings from a study conducted in Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape show the prevalence of stunting among children younger than five for that area was 24%. Luvuyo Mehlwana unpacks the findings and the plans the provincial health department has in place to address the risk factors driving stunting among children in the Eastern Cape.

Tags: access to water child development child gauge child health child support grant children Children's Institute COVID-19 Deworming Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health featured food systems Grow Great Campaign malnutrition Mqanduli nutrition primary health care Social Determinants of Health stunting Vitamin A

Report raises concern over child nutrition in rural Eastern Cape

Analysis: Eastern Cape needs mental health services, gets mostly empty promises

By Luvuyo Mehlwana and Alicestine October, November 15, 2021

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

In recent years there have been various reports with damning findings on the state of mental healthcare services in the Eastern Cape. Luvuyo Mehlwana and Alicestine October assess what has and what hasn’t changed after recommendations from the Public Protector, the Health Ombud, the PSC, and the HSRC, and almost as many undertakings in response by the Eastern Cape Department of Health.

Tags: access to healthcare Cecilia Makiwane Hospital Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health featured health budgets Health Ombud Komani Hospital mental health mental health budgets mental health facilities mental health services mental health users National Mental Health Policy Framework Nomakhosazana Meth Office of Health Standards Compliance Office of the Public Protector psychiatric hospitals psychiatric nurses psychiatric wards public protector Public Service Commission SAFMH South African Human Rights Commission Tower Psychiatric Hospital

Analysis: Eastern Cape needs mental health services, gets mostly empty promises

In-depth: Dirty laundry at Eastern Cape hospitals and the plan to deal with it

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, November 8, 2021

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

Some staff members at Livingstone Hospital in the Eastern Cape say old laundry machines and staff shortages are creating backlogs in getting clean linen, towels, and hospital gowns to patients. Patients, in turn, say they have to sleep on bare and soiled mattresses often with no bedding or dirty linen. Luvuyo Mehlwana reports on the situation, its implications for infection control, and the province’s plans to deal with it.

Tags: and suggestions in the public health sector bacterial infections blood-borne viruses cleaning contracts compliments Department of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health featured health and safety health facilities Health Ombud healthcare workers hospital laundry hygiene infection control IPC guidelines laundry services linen Livingstone Hospital national guidelines on infection prevention and control national guidelines to manage complaints Nomakhosazana Meth Office of Health Standards Compliance patient care patient experiences patient safety quality assurance Rolene Wagner TAC

In-depth: Dirty laundry at Eastern Cape hospitals and the plan to deal with it

Opinion: Transparency and action urgently needed on Eastern Cape staffing challenges

By Sibusisiwe Ndlela, August 25, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

Shortages of doctors and nurses at hospitals in the Eastern Cape is a well-known systemic issue that creates serious challenges for access to quality healthcare. Attempts to access information on how the Provincial Department of Health is addressing or will address this have been unsuccessful, making it hard to hold the department accountable, writes Sibusisiwe Ndlela.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy Dora Nginza Hospital Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Eastern Cape Health Crisis Action Coalition featured health budget healthcare facilities healthcare workers Livingstone Hospital medical posts medico-legal cases NHI public health facilities public healthcare system staff shortages

Opinion: Transparency and action urgently needed on Eastern Cape staffing challenges

What they say: Community perspectives on health services in the Eastern Cape

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, August 3, 2021

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

After making damning findings on the conditions of some Eastern Cape Hospitals, the Deputy Public Protector recommended several changes the provincial health department had to implement within 60 days. The report was published on 30 June this year. Halfway through the 60 days, people still have mixed feelings about their hospital visits and the provincial health department has little to say about what they’ve done to implement the recommended changes.

Tags: Access to Health access to healthcare COVID-19 Eastern Cape Department of Health featured health system capacity health systems reform healthcare users healthcare workers Livingstone Hospital patient experiences PE Provincial Hospital Public Protector Report Saftu Uitenhage Hospital

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What they say: Community perspectives on health services in the Eastern Cape

COVID-19: How vaccination numbers compare in SA’s provinces

By Elri Voigt, July 19, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Provinces, Western Cape

Over five million people in South Africa have so far received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine. Elri Voigt unpacks how the vaccination rollout is going in South Africa’s nine provinces. Though the numbers do not tell the full story and provinces face different challenges, indications are that Limpopo, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal are doing well, while Mpumalanga is struggling.

Tags: covid third wave COVID vaccine COVID-19 EVDS featured mobile vaccination drive National Department of Health national vaccine rollout strategy vaccination dashboard vaccines

COVID-19: How vaccination numbers compare in SA’s provinces

COVID-19: A frontline view of vaccination efforts in the rural Eastern Cape

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, June 15, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Latest, Provinces

By 13 June official statistics from the Department of Health showed 382 255 people 60 years and older in the Eastern Cape registered for COVID-19 vaccination. So far, 114 661 of them received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Luvuyo Mehlwana visited some rural areas to see how registration and vaccination are going.

Tags: Community Health Care Workers COVID-19 COVID-19 infections COVID-19 vaccine Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health Electronic Vaccine Data System EVDS featured Johnson & Johnson Mthatha General Hospital national vaccine rollout strategy Pfizer/BioNtech rural clinics rural health Rural Health Advocacy Project Treatment Action Campaign

COVID-19: A frontline view of vaccination efforts in the rural Eastern Cape

COVID-19 still impacting medical and traditional circumcision in the Eastern Cape

By Luvuyo Mehlwana, May 26, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Latest, Men's Health

The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions have disrupted both traditional male circumcisions and voluntary male circumcisions in the Eastern Cape. Luvuyo Mehlwana reports.

Tags: circumcision Cogta Department of Health Eastern Cape Customary Male Initiation Practice Act featured HIV HIV Prevention initiation schools PEPFAR Thembisa model VMMC voluntary medical male circumcision

COVID-19 still impacting medical and traditional circumcision in the Eastern Cape

COVID-19: What provinces have planned for older persons

By Elri Voigt, May 17, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Provinces, Western Cape

Phase II of South Africa’s vaccination rollout has started. Elri Voigt unpacks how provinces will go about vaccinating those aged 60 and older.

Tags: BioNtech/Pfizer Community Health Care Workers COVID vaccine COVID-19 Department of Health Electronic Vaccine Data System EVDS healthcare workers national vaccine rollout strategy older persons Pfizer Provincial Health Department vaccination vaccination sites

COVID-19: What provinces have planned for older persons

UPDATE: How provinces are gearing up for the launch of mass vaccination

By Elri Voigt, May 14, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, Provinces, Western Cape

With phase two of the country’s vaccination rollout set to start on Monday, 17 May, provinces are gearing up for the largest adult vaccination push the country has ever seen. Elri Voigt provides an update on preparations for the next phase in the nine provinces and progress made in vaccinating healthcare workers through the Sisonke implementation study.

Tags: community workers covid third wave COVID-19 COVID-19 impact COVID-19 vaccine programme Department of Health EVDS featured healthcare workers national vaccine rollout strategy Pfizer Public Health Sisonke Trial

UPDATE: How provinces are gearing up for the launch of mass vaccination

Hope in the Eastern Cape: A doctor reflects on the turnaround at Madwaleni Hospital

By Biénne Huisman, April 15, 2021

Posted in: Eastern Cape, Latest, Provinces

At Madwaleni Hospital in the rural Eastern Cape, vaccinations of health workers were set to start this week. However, steering this rural hospital to this point through a global pandemic, had its challenges. Bienne Huisman spoke to one doctor about how they made it through the first and second waves of the pandemic.

Tags: Access to Health access to medicine COVID-19 COVID-19 impact district health services Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health featured Madwaleni Hospital Public Health rural clinics Rural Doctors' Association of Southern Africa rural health rural hospitals