South Africa has a sophisticated economy, advanced medical training and a constitution that guarantees reproductive health care. Yet its maternal mortality ratio is rising, and most of these are preventable maternal deaths. The country recorded 111.7 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2023, up from 109.6 in 2022 and 98.8 in 2019, before Covid-19. Foetal maternal medicine specialist Dr…
Tag: Health Governance
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NHLS Debt Crisis Puts Public Healthcare At Risk
The NHLS Debt Crisis is raising serious concerns about the stability of South Africa’s public healthcare system. By March, provincial health departments owed the National Health Laboratory Service about R11bn for critical services already provided. The NHLS plays a central role in public healthcare. It provides diagnostic testing, disease monitoring, outbreak support, HIV and TB programme services, forensic pathology expertise…