Head of Free State health department not suspended despite being charged

By Refilwe Mochoari, March 8, 2022

Posted in: Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

It is business as usual at the Free State Department of Health with the acting Head of the Department Godfrey Mahlatsi back at work after he was released on R5 000 bail on 11 February. Mahlatsi is accused of contravening the Public Finance Management Act, while some of his co-accused face charges ranging from corruption and fraud to money laundering. The alleged fraud and corruption led to an R8.7 million loss to the department. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Head of Free State health department not suspended despite being charged

Health in the Eastern Cape: New plans to get chronic medicines to people in rural areas

By Siyabonga Kamnqa, February 23, 2022

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

On a scorching summer day, Siyabonga Kamnqa sat down to listen to the stories of some frustrated gogos and mkhulus waiting to collect their chronic medicines at the busy All Saints Hospital in the rural town of Ngcobo in the Eastern Cape. He then asked the province’s health department about its plans for getting medicines to people in rural areas.

Tags: access to healthcare access to medicine All Saints Hospital CCMDD programme Central Chronic Medicine Dispensing and Distribution chronic diseases Chronic Medicines diabetes Eastern Cape Eastern Cape Department of Health featured hypertension Ritshidze Project rural health

Health in the Eastern Cape: New plans to get chronic medicines to people in rural areas

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.

Tags: Clinics Eastern Cape EASTERN CAPE HEALTH featured health budget health care workers health services medico-legal cases Nelson Mandela Bay Metro nurses patient safety public health facilities security at health facilities

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

Ten months later government hits reset button on Charlotte Maxeke Hospital repairs

By Ufrieda Ho, February 18, 2022

Posted in: Gauteng, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

After almost a year, the Gauteng Health Department yesterday announced a strategic reset for repairs at Charlotte Maxeke Hospital after a fire ravaged parts of the hospital in April last year. The announcement comes ahead of Gauteng Premier David Makhura’s State of the Province Address on Monday but still does not provide immediate relief to patients and hospitals buckling as a result of delays. Ufrieda Ho reports.

Tags: Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital City of Johannesburg doctors featured Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and development Gauteng Health MEC Gift of the Givers healthcare workers Helen Joseph Hospital nurses occupational health and safety public health facilities SIU

Ten months later government hits reset button on Charlotte Maxeke Hospital repairs

LIFE ESIDIMENI INQUEST: Part 2- Recap on its progress and what to expect

By Julia Chaskalson and Mbali Baduza, February 10, 2022

Posted in: Gauteng, Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health

The Life Esidimeni Inquest stands as a crucial accountability process for a national tragedy that ought never to have happened and should never happen again, writes Julia Chaskalson and Mbali Baduza as they summarise and assess progress at the inquest since October – having previously written about the first months of the inquest from July to October last year.

Tags: access to mental health services featured Gauteng Department of Health Gauteng Marathon Project Life Esidimeni Life Esidimeni Inquest mental health users Qedani Mahlangu

LIFE ESIDIMENI INQUEST: Part 2- Recap on its progress and what to expect

Frustration and confusion following North West hospital closure

By Nthusang Lefafa, January 26, 2022

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, North West, Provinces

The sudden closure of Thusong District Hospital in the North West has left healthcare workers and patients confused and frustrated with some patients still turning up at the hospital gates, not knowing where to go for medication and other healthcare services. Nthusang Lefafa reports.

Tags: Access to Health access to medicines Democratic Alliance Dr Joe Phaahla featured health facilities healthcare workers hospital closures Madoda Sambatha Nehawu North West Department of Health occupational health and safety patient safety pharmacists South African Pharmacy Council Thusong District Hospital

Frustration and confusion following North West hospital closure

Free State pushing to get TB patients back into care

By Refilwe Mochoari, January 20, 2022

Posted in: COVID-19, Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces, TB

As was the case in the rest of the country, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the tuberculosis (TB) response in the Free State. Refilwe Mochoari gathered the available numbers and asked the province’s health department about their plans to get the TB response back on track.

Tags: active TB Case-finding CCMDD programme chest X-ray screening Clinics COVID-19 DR-TB treatment featured Free State Department of Health HIV National Strategic Plan for HIV Ritshidze sputum collection TAC TB medicines TB prevention TB response TB Treatment Treatment Action Campaign

Free State pushing to get TB patients back into care

Questions over implementation of SA’s new infection control plan

By Nthusang Lefafa, January 11, 2022

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

Whether it is in the queue outside a community healthcare clinic, in a GP’s waiting room, or in the ICU at a private sector hospital, infections acquired at healthcare facilities pose a threat to people’s health. Nthusang Lefafa looks at government’s recently relaunched infection prevention and control plans and some obstacles to its implementation.

Tags: COVID-19 Department of Health featured health facilities health facilities management healthcare workers healthcare-acquired infections ICAN ICSSA Infection Control Africa Network Infection Control Society of Southern Africa infection prevention and control infectious diseases IPC guidelines IPC practitioners National IPC Strategic Framework nurses nursing council occupational health and safety patient safety Personal protective equipment PPE quality assurance SANC TB TB Proof tuberculosis Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union

Questions over implementation of SA’s new infection control plan

Health in 2021: Another tumultuous year in under a thousand words

By Marcus Low, December 15, 2021

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Child health, COVID-19, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Mental Health, NHI, Provinces, TB

It wasn’t rocket science when we predicted at the start of 2021 that South Africa’s biggest challenge this year would be to get COVID-19 shots into as many arms as possible. But the way it has played out with multiple setbacks and scrambling problem-solving is not something anyone could have predicted. In fewer than a thousand words, Spotlight editor Marcus Low takes a look back at a tumultuous year in health in South Africa.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy access to mental health services Council for Medical Schemes (CMS)COVID-19 Department of Health Dr Joe Phaahla Dr Zweli Mkhize featured health budgets health facilities health spending Health System healthcare workers HIV HIV transmission HIV treatment national vaccine rollout strategy NHI NHI Bill NHI public hearings Parliament Ritshidze SANAC TB tuberculosis

Health in 2021: Another tumultuous year in under a thousand words

What is government doing to restore TB services?

By Tiyese Jeranji, December 15, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces, TB

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns have dealt a severe blow to South Africa’s tuberculosis (TB) response. Tiyese Jeranji asked government about its plans to get TB diagnosis, treatment, and prevention services back on track.

Tags: 3HP active TB Case-finding COVID-19 COVID-19 pandemic Department of Health featured Gauteng Department of Health GeneXpert lockdown Mobile X-ray units National TB caucus National TB Prevalence Survey South African National AIDS Council (SANAC)TB catch-up plan TB Health Check TB prevalence TB Proof TB response tuberculosis Western Cape Department of Health

What is government doing to restore TB services?

Concerns over rise in acute psychiatric admissions in Western Cape

By Tiyese Jeranji, December 2, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health, Provinces

There has been an increase in the number of acute psychiatric admissions in the Western Cape since June, adding to the existing pressure on bed capacity in the province’s hospitals. Tiyese Jeranji unpacks the numbers and the provincial health department’s plans to address them.

Tags: access to mental health services acute psychiatry cases counselling depression featured mental health mental health budgets mental health conditions mental health facilities mental health nurse mental health screening mental health users Mental Healthcare Act primary healthcare public health sector Western Cape Department of Health

Concerns over rise in acute psychiatric admissions in Western Cape

Modest improvement at dysfunctional Gauteng clinics, report finds

By Thabo Molelekwa, November 29, 2021

Posted in: COVID-19, Gauteng, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

Although a new community healthcare monitoring report notes some improvement in filling vacancies at Gauteng clinics, concerns remain over staff shortages and the impact this has on providing quality care, especially to people living with HIV. Thabo Molelekwa reports.

Tags: 2030 Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy access to medicine Clinic monitoring clinic services Denosa featured Gauteng Health Department health resources HIV nurses patient care primary health facilities Public Health Ritshidze TAC TB TB infection control waiting times