OPINION: 2022’s health budget decisions in review

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

Health budgets have the power to advance access to healthcare for millions of people in South Africa. This year, however, as the health sector and the economy recovered from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic and a volatile global environment, the South African government missed opportunities to provide the financial resources to protect access to healthcare for the most vulnerable. Matshidiso Lencoasa unpacks how the past year’s budget choices will affect key public health services.

OPINION: 2022’s health budget decisions in review

OPINION: Towards women-centred climate change decision-making and budgeting

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

The worsening climate crisis poses a threat to women and girls and their access to healthcare in the country. Matshidiso Lencoasa argues that although the ongoing climate crisis is daunting, it can serve as an opportunity for budgeting and policy-making processes to centre the most vulnerable and protect women’s right to healthcare.

OPINION: Towards women-centred climate change decision-making and budgeting

Unacceptably long wait for surgery in Free State, healthcare workers and patients say

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

Surgical waiting lists are not unexpected in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are indications that the situation is particularly acute in the Free State, and possibly for reasons that are not directly related to the pandemic. Also, the department of health failed to offer any explanation or details of current surgery waiting lists and waiting times reported by healthcare workers and patients. Refilwe Mochoari reports.

Unacceptably long wait for surgery in Free State, healthcare workers and patients say

Opinion: Safeguarding public procurement and resources now beyond urgent

Posted in: Healthcare system, Latest

At an estimated R27 billion per year, the cost of corruption equates to about 10% of the country’s total budget for health in 2022. With procurement understood to be a government’s single greatest corruption risk – health contracts are especially vulnerable. This is why reform related to safeguarding public procurement and resources is now beyond urgent, argues Zukiswa Kota.

Opinion: Safeguarding public procurement and resources now beyond urgent

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

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.

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

HPV: What is happening with SA’s other relatively new vaccine programme?

Posted in: COVID-19, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Reproductive Health, SRHR

In 2014, South Africa launched an HPV vaccination campaign targeting 9-year-old public school learners in Grade 4. It involves delivering two doses of vaccine six months apart. Laura Owings asks how the campaign is going and what recent real-world HPV vaccine effectiveness data from the United Kingdom might mean for South Africa.

HPV: What is happening with SA’s other relatively new vaccine programme?

In-depth: What will it take to bring HIV prevention injections to SA’s clinics?

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest

An antiretroviral injection administered every two months has been shown to be highly effective in preventing people from getting HIV in two large trials. Catherine Tomlinson asks what needs to happen before these injections become available to people in South Africa.

In-depth: What will it take to bring HIV prevention injections to SA’s clinics?

Opinion: Transparency and action urgently needed on Eastern Cape staffing challenges

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

Shortages of doctors and nurses at hospitals in the Eastern Cape is a well-known systemic issue that creates serious challenges for access to quality healthcare. Attempts to access information on how the Provincial Department of Health is addressing or will address this have been unsuccessful, making it hard to hold the department accountable, writes Sibusisiwe Ndlela.

Opinion: Transparency and action urgently needed on Eastern Cape staffing challenges

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

Confusion over healthcare worker contracts in the Eastern Cape

Posted in: COVID-19, Latest

Thousands of healthcare contract workers in the Eastern Cape Department of Health face an uncertain future over the continued extension of their contracts. This follows two conflicting decisions on ending contracts of workers roped in February last year to help in the fight against COVID-19 in the province. Luvuyo Mehlwana reports.

Confusion over healthcare worker contracts in the Eastern Cape

Opinion: Health budget slashed despite vaccine commitments

Posted in: Latest

The national budget tabled this week shows that planned spending on public health is reduced by a massive R50.3 billion over the next three years. We cannot accept a vaccine versus health system trade-off. Government must both expedite the procurement of vaccines and ensure that provinces have the staff and other capabilities to rapidly roll them out and to maintain and improve the quality of healthcare services, argue writers from SECTION27.

Opinion: Health budget slashed despite vaccine commitments

Opinion: Mboweni didn’t deliver on a 20% health promotion levy. Here’s why it is anti-poor.

Posted in: Latest

Every year that National Treasury cannot deliver a health promotion levy of 20%, people in South Africa will die from the diseases that this levy could help prevent. And it is the poorest in South Africa who are the hardest hit, argues Lawrence Mbalati.