Hospital Histories: Valkenberg today… and 130 years ago

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health

Due to policy shifts and the increased availability of antipsychotic medication, mental healthcare has become decentralised, with most patients being treated in primary and district health facilities nearest to where they live. Only about ten percent of mental health patients are referred to psychiatric hospitals like Valkenberg in Cape Town. As part of Spotlight’s series on hospitals’ histories, Biénne Huisman visited Valkenberg Hospital and found in its fascinating past insight into how our approach to mental healthcare has changed over the years.

Hospital Histories: Valkenberg today… and 130 years ago

In-depth: Concerns over treatment and care for people with schizophrenia not limited to public sector

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health

South Africa’s shortage of public sector psychologists and psychiatrists has made headlines several times in recent years. This has implications for the treatment of schizophrenia in the public sector. But, as Thabo Molelekwa reports, the picture in the private sector is also far from rosy, with several experts questioning the extent to which medical schemes currently provide cover for people with schizophrenia.

In-depth: Concerns over treatment and care for people with schizophrenia not limited to public sector

#WhatItsLike: Top forensic pathologist on his career at the autopsy table

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

Attending the Forensic DNA Symposium recently held in Cape Town where the vital role of DNA analysis in criminal investigations was highlighted, Sue Segar caught up with Professor Ryan Blumenthal, a senior specialist forensic pathologist at the University of Pretoria. Blumenthal was one of the speakers. He told her more about bearing first-hand witness to death and its causes at the autopsy table and what this can tell us about the society we live in.

#WhatItsLike: Top forensic pathologist on his career at the autopsy table

SA AIDS 2023: New treatments and guidelines to benefit kids, with more advances on the horizon

Posted in: Child health, HIV/AIDS, Latest

The 11th SA AIDS conference, recently held in Durban, highlighted the worrying fact that key HIV numbers such as treatment coverage are much lower in children than in adults. But as Elri Voigt reports, conference delegates also heard about new treatments and guidelines that will make life easier for kids and the exciting potential of several new long-acting experimental treatments.

SA AIDS 2023: New treatments and guidelines to benefit kids, with more advances on the horizon

Face to face: “Fail your way to success”, says Prof behind pioneering drug discovery group at UCT

Posted in: Healthcare Workers, Latest

Technical work on the discovery of new medicines is not commonly done in South Africa, or Africa, for that matter. One person who is at the forefront of changing this, is Kelly Chibale, a professor in organic chemistry and founder of the pioneering Holistic Drug Discovery and Development Centre – H3D – at the University of Cape Town. Biénne Huisman spoke to Chibale about his fascinating work and his journey from a village in Zambia, across the world, and back to Cape Town.

Face to face: “Fail your way to success”, says Prof behind pioneering drug discovery group at UCT

OPINION: With the right interventions we can help many more men start and stay on HIV treatment

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Men's Health

June is Men’s Health Month and while the focus is on men’s attitudes about their health, we have also been reflecting on the health sector’s attitudes about men. Men are not indifferent about their health and they are not inherently poor health-seekers. If many of them are avoiding healthcare services, let’s consider that it may be because they are not getting what they need from the healthcare system, writes Shawn Malone.

OPINION: With the right interventions we can help many more men start and stay on HIV treatment

Funding secured for massive TB vaccine trial

Posted in: Latest, TB

A massive and much-anticipated phase 3 trial of an experimental tuberculosis (TB) vaccine is set to proceed after funding for it has been secured from two large philanthropies. If the trial’s findings are positive, the vaccine is likely to become the first new TB vaccine in over a hundred years to be widely used. Marcus Low reports.

Funding secured for massive TB vaccine trial

In-depth: HIV prevention shots and vaginal rings – this is why SA pilots have not yet started

Posted in: HIV/AIDS, Latest

Last year Spotlight reported that pilot projects testing out a new HIV prevention injection and a vaginal ring in South Africa would start early in 2023. Yet, as delegates gathered for the SA AIDS Conference in Durban last week, those pilots hadn’t yet started. Alicestine October and Elri Voigt have the latest on the state of play with these critical projects.

In-depth: HIV prevention shots and vaginal rings – this is why SA pilots have not yet started

Mpumalanga health department responds to latest clinic monitoring findings

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, Mpumalanga, NHI, Provinces

According to the latest report from community-based clinic monitoring group Ritshidze, users of public sector health facilities in Mpumalanga are experiencing shorter waiting times, cleaner facilities, and extended antiretroviral refills compared to previous years. But Ritshidze also reports ongoing staff shortages, problematic staff attitudes, and problems with infrastructure. Nthusang Lefafa unpacks the new findings and asks the province’s health department what they are planning in response.

Mpumalanga health department responds to latest clinic monitoring findings

Analysis: Taking a spoon to a knife fight – Is SA ready for rising obesity rates?

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

Experts describe rising obesity rates in South Africa as an “urgent crisis”, “a tsunami” – even an “epidemic” – that is costing lives, not to mention billions of rands. Tackling the situation warrants an action plan that is as comprehensive and cogent as the problem is dire. But does the new national strategy fit the bill? Amy Green asked several local experts.

Analysis: Taking a spoon to a knife fight – Is SA ready for rising obesity rates?

RIGHT OF REPLY: Reducing the surgical and cancer treatment backlogs is an urgent priority

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Gauteng, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

Following an article in Spotlight bemoaning “the lack of urgency” by the Gauteng Department of Health in addressing cancer and surgical backlogs despite having been allocated funds toward this, Dr Stephen Mankupane, Acting Head of Hospital Services in the provincial health department, writes that there is no disputing the fact that there is a need to act with urgency in attending to these backlogs and outlines what the department is doing. Here is his response in full.

RIGHT OF REPLY: Reducing the surgical and cancer treatment backlogs is an urgent priority

Sobering moments at opening of SA AIDS Conference

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

The 11th South African AIDS Conference – the first since COVID-19-related disruptions – kicked off on Tuesday in Durban. This year’s theme is, “Act, Connect and End the Epidemic”. Spotlight summarises some key themes that emerged from the opening ceremony and spoke to some delegates.