Over the past decade, colorectal cancer rates have risen significantly among adults aged 25 to 49 in 24 countries, including the UK, US, France, and Canada. This alarming trend was revealed by an international team, including researchers from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), at the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) congress in Geneva…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
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HIV treatment success: Sustaining lifelong care is key
People living with HIV who remain on treatment now have a life expectancy comparable to HIV-negative individuals, thanks to improved, simplified antiretroviral therapy (ART) over the last 30 years. Despite progress, HIV remains a leading cause of premature death in sub-Saharan Africa, with disengagement from ART being a significant issue. In South Africa, 6.1 million people are on ART, but…
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WHO approves first emergency use Mpox diagnostic test
The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted emergency use authorisation for Abbott Laboratories’ new mpox diagnostic test, the Alinity m MPXV assay. This is the first such approval by the agency as part of efforts to enhance testing capabilities in countries experiencing outbreaks of mpox. The Alinity m MPXV assay is a real-time PCR test to detect mpox virus DNA…
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Nkengasong calls for collaboration to secure ARV production
US Global AIDS co-ordinator John Nkengasong has encouraged African drug manufacturers to adopt a regional manufacturing strategy to take advantage of his organisation’s volume guarantees. This appeal comes as local pharmaceutical manufacturers press the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) to fulfil its December 2022 pledge to transfer at least 2 million HIV/AIDS patients on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment…
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Thoughts on health systems and the future of NHI
Inside the Falmouth building at the University of Cape Town’s health campus, Professor Lucy Gilson, Head of the Health Policy and Systems Division, emphasises the human aspect of health systems as key to improving healthcare outcomes. Focusing on relationships, routines, and individuals’ motivations, Gilson argues that successful health systems require both “hardware” (such as funding and technology) and “software” (such…
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Gilead grants licenses for generic HIV drug production
Gilead Sciences has announced royalty-free licensing agreements with six generic drug manufacturers to produce and sell lower-cost versions of its HIV prevention medicine, lenacapavir, in 120 low and lower-middle-income countries. This move aims to increase access to affordable HIV prevention and treatment options in regions most affected by the epidemic. The US-based pharmaceutical giant has partnered with India’s Dr Reddy’s…
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BHF criticises delay in making private healthcare affordable
The Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) has accused the Department of Health of delaying action on critical reforms to make private healthcare more affordable in South Africa. The accusation comes amid concerns that the department has not implemented recommendations made in the 2019 Health Market Inquiry report, a claim which the department denies. The BHF criticised the Department of Health…
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The Case for Mandatory Health Insurance in South Africa
The ongoing healthcare debate in South Africa intensified following outgoing Netcare CEO Dr Richard Friedland’s remarks at the September Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA) annual conference. Speaking on “Viable and Near-term Opportunities to Providing Enhanced Healthcare in South Africa,” Friedland made a compelling case for a return to what he described as the original African National Congress (ANC) healthcare…
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Emerging XEC Covid-19 variant poses potential health risk
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has warned about the emerging Covid-19 variant, XEC. While cases of this new variant have already been reported in parts of the United States, there has not yet been a significant rise in infections within South Africa. XEC variant may pose a severe threat SAMA CEO Dr Mzulungile Theo Nodikida stated that current global…
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Challenges in training cause critical nursing shortage in SA
South Africa is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses due to an ageing workforce and challenges with the new nursing training framework. The shift towards professionalising nursing education, requiring accreditation from the South African Nursing Council (SANC) and the Council for Higher Education, has led to delays in training, contributing to fewer nurses entering the field. Private hospitals have expressed…
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What is the leading cause of death in South Africa?
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has recently listed Covid-19 as the leading cause of death for the year 2020 in their latest mortality report. The question of what causes the most deaths in South Africa isn’t straightforward and largely depends on the source of the data. Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says HIV/AIDS remains the biggest killer. According to Stats…
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The fine print matters more than you think
The fine print can make a world of difference in any transaction. Nowhere is that more true than in healthcare, where complex, often opaque contracts dictate how trillions of dollars are spent each year. These documents govern everything from how much employers and families pay for healthcare to what services they receive for their money. Why You Should Care About…