Unless timely action is taken, South Africa could be faced with a new form of “pharmaceutical apartheid,” like that experienced in the early days of the AIDS response, writes Professor Yousuf Vawda & Professor Brook K. Baker.
The Department of Health has announced that it will rely on community healthcare workers to assist with tracking and tracing potential COVID-19 cases but has not provided assurances about how it will protect these workers during the process and beyond, writes Nontsikelelo Mpulo and Tendai Mafuma.
Children experience anxiety and panic as acutely as adults do; only they might be better at hiding it. There is concern that the COVID-19 pandemic and national lock down will lead to an increase of physical and emotional abuse towards children and that the economic fallout of the pandemic will add a new dimension of hardship to children’s lives.
The National Health Laboratory Service claims it has the capacity to do 15 000 COVID-19 tests a day, but that the actual number of tests being done is lower because of limited demand from provinces.
Most of the COVID-19 numbers we have paint only part of the picture and can easily be misinterpreted. Here are some tips on understanding the numbers.
Spotlight asked Dr Lungile Hobe-Nxumalo, Chair of the Rural Doctors’ Association of Southern Africa, how rural healthcare facilities can prepare for the fight against COVID-19.
On the Eastern Cape’s Wild Coast community members and organisations are working together to prepare and protect against COVID-19. Spotlight spoke with people from four different villages to learn more.
A key concern in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic internationally has been a shortage of medical equipment, particularly ventilators. Elna Schütz asks whether we are sufficiently prepared in South Africa.
Government can now track people’s movements through their cell phones to establish who may have come into contact with people who have tested positive for COVID-19. Spotlight spoke to experts and activists about the new tracking plans.
A collaboration of public health and infection prevention doctors of TB Proof and Public Health Action Team started a Masks4All campaign arguing for homemade face masks as a potentially powerful tool to the fight against COVID-19. Here they explain why.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize must use all the legal mechanisms at his disposal to ensure that the constitutional imperative that everyone has the right to have access to health care services is realised, writes Nkululeko Conco and Tendai Mafuma.
In South Africa’s war against COVID-19 community healthcare workers are foot soldiers on the frontlines. Spotlight spoke to CHWs from across the country about their concerns regarding a lack of protective equipment and job security.
