South Africa’s stillbirths have more than doubled since 1997, reaching nearly 16,000 in 2020. Early neonatal deaths also remain high, with respiratory and cardiovascular complications as leading causes. Recent government statistics on perinatal deaths reveal concerns about maternal care in South Africa, with stillbirths more than doubling from 1997 to 2020. In 2020, 15,908 babies died in the womb, slightly…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
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Ascendis Reports Robust Growth After Restructuring Success
Ascendis Health’s strategic shift to an investment holding company has led to a 12% increase in net asset value, driven by strong performance in its medical portfolio and streamlined operations. This change means Ascendis reports robust growth compared to previous years. Ascendis Health has reported steady growth in its first annual financial results since becoming an investment holding company in…
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NICD Urges Vaccination to Combat Diphtheria Spike
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has called on the public to review their children’s vaccination records following a spike in diphtheria cases nationwide. The NICD urges vaccination as a critical step. Due to rising diphtheria cases in South Africa, the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has urged the public to check their children’s vaccination records. Again, the…
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Gauteng Cancer Treatment Backlog: Court’s Urgent Ruling
The Gauteng High Court has ordered immediate action. This ruling addresses a severe public health crisis. It concerns the Gauteng cancer treatment backlog. Thousands of cancer patients have been waiting for care. They need urgent radiation oncology services. The order directly impacts Charlotte Maxeke and Steve Biko Academic Hospitals. For many vulnerable patients, this decision offers a critical lifeline. It…
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Future Pandemic Preparedness: South Africa’s Warning
South Africa’s future pandemic preparedness has dwindled. This is compared to its readiness in 2020. The reasons include healthcare cuts and a waning sense of vigilance. It has been five years since the COVID-19 lockdown. Top virologist Professor Shabir Madhi has a warning. He says the healthcare system has deteriorated. Progress Hindered Initial public health investments were made. However, progress…
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Universal health coverage urgently needed – Motsoaledi
South Africa’s Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi warned that the world must expedite universal health coverage (UHC) to achieve its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He made this statement during his speech at the G20 Health Working Group. He highlighted alarming global setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, rising healthcare costs, and shrinking health budgets. These issues threaten to reverse decades…
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Balancing act: Medical scheme tax credits in South Africa
Medical scheme tax credits are vital for sustaining South Africa’s dual healthcare system, providing essential financial relief to millions of working-class citizens. In his recent budget speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that these tax credits will remain in place – an important policy decision welcomed by healthcare experts and funders. Thoneshan Naidoo, CEO of the Health Funders Association (HFA),…
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Trump administration cuts $2.6bn in vaccine funding
The Trump administration’s announcement to reduce US foreign aid funding has sent shockwaves through the global health community. Among the most affected are Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and major anti-malaria initiatives. These cuts, part of a broad reduction in programmes managed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), have raised significant concerns regarding the future of life-saving interventions…
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Stillbirths surge amid global health inequity
A stark reminder of persistent global health inequities has emerged from a new report revealing that 1.9 million babies were stillborn in 2023. Crucially, the report by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation found that nearly half of these tragic deaths occurred during labour and could have been avoided with adequate medical care. The timing of the report’s…
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South Africa intensifies fight against tuberculosis
With less than five years remaining to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, South Africa faces a critical challenge: ending the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. The goal is ambitious: an 80% reduction in TB incidence and a 90% decline in TB deaths compared with 2015 levels. While South Africa has made remarkable strides, halving the number of TB patients between…
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Research faces funding crisis after NIH grant cuts
South African HIV/AIDS researchers are grappling with the harsh reality of substantial grant funding cuts from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). These cuts, resulting from a shift in NIH priorities, threaten to derail decades of progress in combating HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) in a region central to global health efforts. The extent of the terminations and holds on…