Documents: TB in South African Prisons
The following documents outline the use of the rapid GeneXpert TB test in prisons, HIV and TB interventions and describe the recently created task team.
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Dobsonville baby’s death reveals faults in system
The Gauteng Department of Health has promised to fix electrical wiring at Dobsonville’s Itireleng Community Health Centre by the end of this week following a public outcry over a baby’s death, but the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) says there are larger issues.
Free State health “collapses” amid alleged financial crisis
Hospitals turning away patients, unpaid health workers and stock outs of more more than 200 essential medicines and medical supplies – symptoms of a provincial health system that is imploding, say activists.
Opinion: The silver bullet of indicators?
The Treatment Action Campaign’s Marcus Low writes why HIV viral load testing may be the most important HIV indicator. Now, if we could only monitor it.
Opinion: Doctor bodies speak on Certificate of Need
Doctor associations are appealing to government to work with them, writes South African Medical Journal News Editor Chris Bateman following the sudden promulgation of the long-dormant but controversial Certificate of Needs (CoN) law.
Tshepong Hospital brings man back from death’s door
Samuel Matebele thought his "days were over", but six-months after completing tuberculosis (TB) treatment the former farm worker from Hartebeesfontein says he is feeling good again.
Litigation threat may prompt access to cheaper DR-TB drug
South Africa may finally allow access to a cheaper form of the drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) drug linezolid following the lodging of a high court case.
Opinion: Helping to fix the system
Antiretrovirals continue to be the most reported medicine out of stock as the civil society Stop Stock Out Project continues, write Project Coordinator Monique Lines and Medicines Sans Frontieres pharmacist Tinne Gils.
Antiretrovirals credited for TB decline
South Africa is seeing about 79,000 fewer TB cases annually thanks to increased HIV treatment uptake, according to the latest research from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NCID)
Government to introduce new drug-resistant TB drugs
Government’s small-scale introduction of the first new TB drug in four decades is saving lines and paving the way for more, better and cheaper drugs to treat drug-resistant TB. Many wonder if they will come fast enough for those who need them.
Opinion: TB behind bars
Despite court-mandated moves by government to stem the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic, a recent Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) investigation has found just eight doctors serve the Department of Correctional Services, according to this piece written by TAC researcher Lieve Vanleeuw.
SA second in world to adopt new TB prevention guidance
The Department of Health is expected to launch new tuberculosis (TB) guidelines at the South African TB Conference, which begins today in Durban.
GeneXpert’s benefits still not reaching patients
The Department of Health’s multi-million rand investment in an automated, rapid TB test is being short-changed by slow health systems, said researchers this week.
‘Dr. Death’s’ guilty verdict could set precedent
As the Health Professionals Council of South Africa’s (HPSCA) postpones the sentencing Dr Wouter Basson for his role in apartheid’s biological warfare again this week, experts are calling for clear guidelines to deal with doctors involved in unethical behaviour.
Randburg cancer survivor sets his sights on gold
Shaun Harris is South Africa’s fourth fastest 50m freestyle swimmer and has set his sights on gold at the 2016 Olympics just two years after beating cancer.