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

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.

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

COVID-19: Jabs for most pregnant women more than a month away

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Most pregnant women in South Africa will have to wait at least another month for a potentially life-saving COVID-19 jab. Chris Bateman takes a look at what we do and do not know about COVID-19 and its impact on pregnant women or those planning to get pregnant, and when it is safest for such women to get vaccinated.

COVID-19: Jabs for most pregnant women more than a month away

Efforts to vaccinate the homeless stumbling over red tape

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

South Africa’s COVID-19 vaccination programme currently requires that people enter an identity number when registering on government’s electronic system and present an identity document when they go to get jabbed. This makes it hard for homeless people without IDs to get vaccinated. Siyabonga Kamnqa reports from the streets of Cape Town.

Efforts to vaccinate the homeless stumbling over red tape

OPINION: Community-Led Monitoring Dashboard Reveals the Crisis in SA’s Clinics

Posted in: Edition 11: National Health Laboratory Service, Edition 9: State of HIV, Healthcare system, Latest

Data collected by the Ritshidze community-led healthcare monitoring project is now being shared through a new, publicly accessible online dashboard. Authors involved with the project explain the kinds of insights this rich new data source can give on healthcare services in South Africa.

OPINION: Community-Led Monitoring Dashboard Reveals the Crisis in SA’s Clinics

OPINION: Going Local in Health Innovation – It is time and we are ready

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the need to think global and build locally. The African innovative pharmaceutical sector has the potential to thrive and needs more incentive to grow. A blooming continental sector would serve as a critical and secure source for key vaccines and therapeutics, reducing the need to rely on the goodwill of donors, writes Professor Kelly Chibale.

OPINION: Going Local in Health Innovation – It is time and we are ready

In-depth: Why is there hardly any flu in SA this year?

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

While COVID-19 cases are surging in South Africa off the back of the dominant Delta variant, the flu virus has virtually vanished. Only 50 influenza cases have been detected so far this year through the country’s influenza monitoring system. Adele Baleta unpacks what is going on.

In-depth: Why is there hardly any flu in SA this year?

IN-FOCUS: How to protect hospitalised infants from dangerous germs

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

Outbreaks of hospital-acquired infections such as Klebsiella have claimed the lives of infants and made headlines on a number of occasions over the last decade. Tiyese Jeranji looks at how the germs involved spread, how common these infections are, and what can be done to prevent outbreaks.

IN-FOCUS: How to protect hospitalised infants from dangerous germs

Health and Unrest: Counting the cost and getting people their medicines

Posted in: COVID-19, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Provinces

As the country is still calculating the tally of the vaccine stock and medicines stolen in last week’s unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, there is still a lot of uncertainty about plans to restore medicine security.

Health and Unrest: Counting the cost and getting people their medicines

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

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.

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

COVID-19: Gauteng hospitals under strain as third wave continues

Posted in: Gauteng, Latest, Provinces

As the third wave of COVID-19 infections continues in Gauteng, hospitals remain under severe strain due to staff and equipment shortages. Add to this the ongoing unrest in certain areas in Gauteng, and it makes for a very grim picture. Thabo Molelekwa reports on the situation in East Rand hospitals.

COVID-19: Gauteng hospitals under strain as third wave continues

Old struggles persist for CHWs in Free State

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

Seven years after over 100 community health workers were arrested during a vigil at the provincial health department’s headquarters, Bophelo House, the struggles of community healthcare workers in the Free State continue as they are still calling for job security. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Old struggles persist for CHWs in Free State

In-depth: What South Africa’s power cuts mean for health facilities

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Every now and again people in South Africa have to endure a few weeks of mostly scheduled power cuts. Because power cuts can be deadly in hospitals, most facilities have backup systems in place. Tiyese Jeranji investigates how it all works and what safeguards are in place to prevent the lights from going out while you are on the theatre table.