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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.

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OPINION: Oral health services for persons with special needs still lacking

Posted in: Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest

While there is relatively good access to preventative and promotive oral healthcare services in the country, it does not go far enough to address the vast oral health-related issues that persons with disabilities present with, writes Dr Bulela Vava. If the government is to truly care for the oral health needs of persons with special needs, it will have to take bold steps to invest in building the requisite secondary and tertiary oral health service capacity.

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Spotlight on Nehawu strike: Dispatches from the frontlines

Posted in: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, Latest, Provinces, Western Cape

Following a Labour Appeal Court judgement on Monday, health minister Dr Joe Phaahla during a media briefing on Monday night said the department has given essential health workers until Tuesday morning to report for work. Should they fail to do this, “they will be making themselves liable to charges of misconduct”. Spotlight reporters have been visiting healthcare facilities to assess the situation.

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OPINION: One second-trimester public abortion facility in the entire Eastern Cape is not good enough

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

Second-trimester abortions, which occur between the beginning of the 13th and the end of the 20th week of pregnancy, are difficult to access in the public sector. This is mainly due to the lack of designated abortion facilities and the unavailability of abortion providers to provide the service and the Eastern Cape is no exception, writes Sibusisiwe Ndlela, Khanyisa Mapipa, and Thokozile Mtsolongo.

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