Interview: A simple device used after birth can help save lives, says award-winning young innovator

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

As a child growing up in Uganda, Maureen Etuket used a screwdriver to dismantle electronic appliances and toy trucks. Now, a PhD candidate in Industrial Engineering, this curiosity has been driving her quest to find solutions to public healthcare challenges. Last month, she won the Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s award for social impact in Africa for a device that can help save the lives of women who suffer excessive bleeding after child birth. Bienne Huisman chatted with her about the device, medical innovation in Africa, and finding one’s purpose in this challenging field.

Interview: A simple device used after birth can help save lives, says award-winning young innovator

In-depth: What’s behind the increase in malnutrition deaths among Free State infants?

Posted in: Child health, Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

When Free State Health MEC Montseng Tsiu took to the podium in April this year to deliver her budget speech, she said there was an increase in deaths of children under five mostly due to severe acute malnutrition which has increased from 3.1% in the 2020/21 financial year to 9.6% in 2021/22. This meant of all the children admitted to the province’s hospitals for acute malnutrition, 48 died in 2020/21 and 86 in 2021/22. Refilwe Mochoari unpacks the numbers and asked authorities, experts, and community leaders what can be done.

In-depth: What’s behind the increase in malnutrition deaths among Free State infants?

Opinion: Mothers and babies pay the price for medical xenophobia

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Child health, Healthcare system, Latest

Pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children should have free healthcare services, irrespective of nationality and documentation status. It is an entitlement that our law already affords them and one that we will continue to defend writes Thembi Mahlathi and Sibusisiwe Ndlela.

Opinion: Mothers and babies pay the price for medical xenophobia

30% increase in maternal deaths during COVID-19 lockdown reported

Posted in: Latest, Reproductive Health

Reproductive health experts say South Africa recorded a 30% increase in maternal deaths during lockdown compared to the same period in 2019. Suicide, a previously unrecognised cause of maternal mortality in the country, also increased and some experts believe the stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic played a role. Tiyese Jeranji reports.