South Africa has made real progress against tuberculosis (TB). However, it will fall well short of its 2030 targets. Low TB testing rates are the single biggest reason, according to new modelling published in the journal Global Health Action. The study projects TB incidence falling 46% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline. This falls short of the World Health Organisation…
Tag: Public Health
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Mpox Cases in SA Rise as Local Transmission Accelerates
Mpox cases in South Africa have climbed sharply over the past few weeks, prompting the Department of Health to urge immediate and sustained public co-operation. By 17 September, the country had recorded 18 laboratory-confirmed infections and one probable case, according to departmental spokesperson Foster Mohale. The trend points to growing local transmission of a preventable viral infection. Mohale said 13…
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NHLS Scrambles as Pathology Services Funding Runs Dry
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), the backbone of South Africa’s public pathology system, is scrambling to secure new blood-testing providers. This follows the service running out of money for key pathology services. The contract covering small and medium haematology labs at several of the country’s largest hospitals has lapsed. Funds in a central purchasing arrangement ran dry. The affected…
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Preventable Maternal Deaths Are a Failure of Equity
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…
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Childhood immunisation coverage falls sharply in South Africa
Childhood immunisation coverage in South Africa has fallen sharply. As a result, the Department of Health has called for urgent action as outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases spread across the country. The proportion of infants under one year who have received no vaccinations rose from 12.1% in 2017 to 36.3% between January and April 2026. As a result, the share of…
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Research Funding Needs Stronger Domestic Support
The US National Institutes of Health’s decision to reopen funding opportunities to South African researchers offers welcome relief. However, it also exposes the risks of relying too heavily on foreign support for essential scientific work. When Donald Trump returned to the White House in early 2025, South Africa was the largest foreign recipient of NIH awards. These grants were awarded…
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South Africa’s Dietary Guidelines Need Urgent Update
According to the Physicians Association for Nutrition (PAN) South Africa, the country’s dietary guidelines should be updated to reflect advances in nutrition science, the rise in lifestyle diseases and the environmental impact of food systems. The country’s current guidelines have remained unchanged since 2012. In a new policy brief, PAN proposes strengthening the existing framework rather than replacing it. Recommendations…
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Lenacapavir Production in South Africa Moves Closer
Three South African pharmaceutical manufacturers have reached the shortlist to potentially produce Gilead Sciences’ HIV-prevention injection, lenacapavir. Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaala confirmed the development at the 26th International Aids Conference in Rio de Janeiro. The South African National Aids Council evaluated submissions received through a call for expressions of interest. It then selected three possible manufacturers. Phaala declined to…
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South Africa’s Population Growth Holds at 1.2%
South Africa’s population grew by an estimated 1.2% in the year to June 2026. This brought the total population to 63.52 million, according to the latest mid-year population estimates from Statistics South Africa. The rate was broadly unchanged from 2025. During that year, the population increased by 1.23% to 63.1 million. South Africa’s population has grown from 42.9 million in…