Face to Face: Professor Soraya Seedat on the ‘workings of the brain’ and the realities of psychiatry in SA

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

Professor Soraya Seedat is a distinguished professor and head of Stellenbosch University’s psychiatry department. She has penned several hundreds of peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on psychiatric disorders, with a focus on PTSD and anxiety, particularly among children and in resource-constrained settings. Biénne Huisman sat down with her to talk about her work, what drives her, and maintaining a work-life equilibrium.

Face to Face: Professor Soraya Seedat on the ‘workings of the brain’ and the realities of psychiatry in SA

Analysis: Is SA on track to solve its nursing crisis?

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

Nurse shortages and issues with the training of nurses have been making headlines in recent weeks, with some referring to a ‘nursing crisis’ in South Africa. After attending a recent conference hosted by the South African Nursing Council, Thabo Molelekwa dug deeper in search of clarity on where the bottlenecks are and what can be done about them.

Analysis: Is SA on track to solve its nursing crisis?

The complex interplay between TB and liver problems

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest, TB

People in South Africa who fall ill with tuberculosis (TB) often also have other health issues. HIV, which drives much of the TB epidemic in South Africa, is the most obvious co-infection, but people who fall ill with TB are also more likely to have diabetes and mental health problems than the general public. Tiyese Jeranji spoke to local experts about the interesting links between TB and liver problems.

The complex interplay between TB and liver problems

OPINION: Part of child protection is allowing kids to be themselves when it comes to gender

Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Reproductive Health, SRHR

South Africa is currently observing Child Protection Week to shine a spotlight on the rights of children, as enshrined in the Constitution and the Children’s Act. The campaign aims to ensure the rights, safety, and well-being of children – aiming to foster a safer environment. To foster a safe environment, however, children must not only feel physically safe but also emotionally safe. Yet teenagers often do not have a safe space to speak to trusted people about the confusion they face around their gender, writes Kholofelo Mphahlele.

OPINION: Part of child protection is allowing kids to be themselves when it comes to gender

HIV in graphs: Latest figures confirm declining rates, but areas of concern remain

Posted in: Data, HIV/AIDS, Latest

According to recently published estimates from Thembisa, the leading mathematical model of HIV in South Africa, around 7.8 million people, or 13.2% of the population, were living with HIV in South Africa in 2022. Marcus Low looked at the numbers and what they tell us about the state of HIV in South Africa.

HIV in graphs: Latest figures confirm declining rates, but areas of concern remain

INTERVIEW: Dr Lebogang Phahladira on his journey from studying by candlelight to winning a major schizophrenia research award

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

In his Twitter biography, Dr Lebogang Phahladira describes himself as “a rookie clinician-researcher who keeps trying and trying”. This clearly paid off, as Phahladira earlier this month received a major global schizophrenia research award. As part of Spotlight’s coverage on mental health this month, Biénne Huisman spoke to him about growing up in rural Limpopo, his first impressions of city life, and the decision to specialise in schizophrenia.

INTERVIEW: Dr Lebogang Phahladira on his journey from studying by candlelight to winning a major schizophrenia research award

Groote Schuur Hospital clears backlog of 1 500 surgeries

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

Much of South Africa’s public health sector is plagued by long waiting times for surgery, a situation that was made much worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, an inspiring project at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town has reached its target of slashing its backlog by 1 500 surgeries. Elri Voigt reports.

Groote Schuur Hospital clears backlog of 1 500 surgeries

Too scared to come to work, nurse says amid rising security concerns at Eastern Cape health facilities

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

There are serious concerns over the safety of health workers at public health facilities in the Eastern Cape, with some healthcare workers saying they are scared to go to work. Although the provincial health department says it shares this concern, the department remains tight-lipped over its plans and the relevant security contracts. Luvuyo Mehlwana spoke to union representatives, healthcare workers, and some security personnel about the situation.

Too scared to come to work, nurse says amid rising security concerns at Eastern Cape health facilities

New report paints grim, but incomplete picture of cancer in SA

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

The World Health Organization in February this year said that an estimated 1.1 million new cancer cases are being reported in Africa each year with around 700 000 deaths from cancer. A recent report provides important new data on cancer in South Africa, but the picture remains incomplete. Ufrieda Ho reports.

New report paints grim, but incomplete picture of cancer in SA

New policies aim to integrate mental health support into HIV services

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest

Research suggests that people living with HIV are more likely to have mental health conditions than the general population. There seems to be consensus that HIV programmes would benefit from including better mental health screening and support services. Two new policy documents – the Mental Health Policy Framework and the National Strategic Plan for HIV, TB, and STIs – have a lot to say about providing such integrated services, but will they result in actual changes on the ground? Thabo Molelekwa reports.

New policies aim to integrate mental health support into HIV services

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Millions of doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine procured by the South African government have expired and the shot is largely unavailable to people in the country. Meanwhile, earlier this month, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’. Adele Baleta asks what all this means for COVID-19 in South Africa.

COVID-19: What next as shots expire and become harder to get?

OPINION: HIV Testing is changing in South Africa, here’s why it’s a good thing

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest

South Africa has been using HIV Rapid Diagnostic Tests (Finger prick same-day testing) for years. Now, the National Department of Health has decided to align with the World Health Organization’s recommendation of a new three-test algorithm to ensure accuracy of results. René Sparks unpacks why this is important.