Report: South African Health Review 2016
The Health Systems Trust’s annual publication on health trends and topics in South Africa includes chapters on water and sanitation, eHealth, and sexual and reproductive health.
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Medicine, morality on South Africa’s drug routes
When you're a doctor operating along South Africa’s drug routes, anything can happen and when it does, reality and relations can change in an instant, writes one rural doctor.
Policy guidelines: 72-hour Assessment of Involuntary Mental Healthcare Users
These 18-page guidelines list facility requirements for holding mental health patients for 72-hour involuntary assessments as well relevant procedure and guidelines for clinicians.
Policy guidelines: Seclusion and Restraint of Mental Health Care Users
The Department of Health’s guidelines detail how healthcare workers may use seclusion and physical restraint with mental patients and caution that these actions should be seen as a last resort.
North West families turn to food gardens amid food hikes
As drought and a weaker rand conspire to raise food prices, families in the North West may be hardest hit. One family has found a fix for high food prices.
World endorses more ‘war on drugs’
The world’s hardline "war on drugs" has resulted in violence, criminalised drug users and exacerbated HIV and Hepatitis C infection. Yet the UN has just endorsed a similar approach.
Distributing clean needles to curb the spread of HIV
The Step Up Project runs needle exchange programmes with injecting drug users in Cape Town, Durban and Tshwane.
Sugar tax could save South Africa billions
South Africa’s recently announced tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could save South Africa billions if implemented over the next 20 years, according to recent University of Witwatersrand research.
Drugs: World contemplates punishment or rehabilitation
The prohibition of illegal drugs has failed to stop drug use, instead fanning a massive and violent black market. This week, the UN meets to discuss whether its ‘war on drugs’ approach needs to change
Statement: Eastern Cape responds to South African Human Rights Commission report
The Eastern Cape Department of Health responds to an October 2015 South African Human Rights Commission report alleging that the province failed to adequately fulfill citizens’ rights to emergency medical services (EMS).
Report: Access to Emergency Medical Services in the Eastern Cape
In its 104-page report, the South African Human Rights Commission finds that the Eastern Cape Department of Health has failed to adequately fulfill the right that no person may be denied access to emergency medical services.
New HIV treatment to debut in June
ViiV Healthcare is expected to introduce the latest in antiretroviral treatment in South Africa’s private sector in June at about R720 per month.
One in nine TB patients co-infected with diabetes
About one in nine South African tuberculosis (TB) patients are also living with type 2 diabetes, according to Stellenbosch University medical biologist Dr Katharina Ronache. Ronacher warns rising rates of co-infection could have consequences for treatment outcomes.
New HIV pill slated for privileged few?
Better HIV treatment is coming to South Africa, but a lack of generic producers of the new antiretroviral dolutegravir may keep it in the hands of the few for years to come.
Quarter of surveyed health facilities report stock outs
Almost 25 percent of health facilities surveyed nationally have gone without HIV or tuberculosis (TB) medicines at least once in the last year, according to preliminary survey results released this week.