South Africa will introduce a groundbreaking twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, in select public clinics by April 2026. This move marks a significant step forward in the nation’s fight against HIV, offering a highly effective and convenient alternative to daily pills. However, this progress comes as another long-acting injectable, cabotegravir (CAB-LA), remains stalled despite having a four-year head start. The…
Tag: Public Health
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Albert Luthuli Hospital Crisis: Lives at Risk
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital is collapsing. The hospital is a cornerstone of KZN specialist healthcare. Senior doctors warn surgical capacity has plummeted by 60%. An exodus of specialists is crippling the facility. Its ICUs are critically understaffed. There is a severe shortage of essential supplies. Insiders describe an “austerity-fuelled” and life-threatening Albert Luthuli Hospital crisis. Doctors spoke on condition…
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BHF’s NHI Legal Challenge and Its Implications for UHC
South Africa’s NHI Act faces a major legal challenge. The Board of Healthcare Funders’ (BHF) NHI legal challenge argues that the law is unconstitutional and unworkable. This move adds uncertainty to the landmark law. It aims for universal health coverage (UHC). Critics note its lack of a clear funding model. The BHF supports UHC’s goal. However, they consider the current…
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Reversing Medical Tourism in Africa: The Abuja Initiative
Once a prime destination for global elites seeking top-tier medical care in the 1960s, Nigeria’s healthcare landscape has undergone a dramatic shift. Today, the nation faces a staggering financial outflow as its citizens, and other Africans, spend billions abroad for treatment. A landmark new facility in Abuja, however, signals a bold ambition for reversing medical tourism in Africa. This aims…
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Leading Causes of Death in South Africa Revealed
South Africa recorded a significant 22% decline in deaths in 2022. Mortality rates returned to near pre-pandemic levels, according to new data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). However, the report highlights a concerning shift in the leading causes of death. Diabetes mellitus now tops the list for both men and women. The number of deaths dropped sharply to…
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Sakeliga’s NHI Legal Battle for Constiutional Justice
Sakeliga’s NHI Legal Battle has garnered attention. The business lobby group Sakeliga has become the latest organisation to mount a legal challenge against South Africa’s contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) Act. They filed papers at the Pretoria High Court to have it declared unconstitutional and invalid. The focus of Sakeliga’s NHI Legal Battle is to highlight the impracticalities and financial…
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Lenacapavir for HIV Prevention in South Africa
South Africa is taking a giant step in its fight against HIV. The Department of Health announced plans to make a new, twice-yearly anti-HIV injection available in public clinics. The drug, lenacapavir, represents a potential turning point for HIV prevention. It could significantly curb new infections across the nation. Introducing lenacapavir for HIV prevention could change the landscape of health…
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Sustainable Health Financing in Zimbabwe’s Strategy
Zimbabwe has made a powerful appeal to African nations to prioritise the development of sustainable, domestic health financing mechanisms. This is in response to recent withdrawals of crucial donor funding across the continent. Speaking at the 75th World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa meeting in Zambia, Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora stressed that long-term resilience is key. It is…
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Botswana’s Drug Supply Disrupted by Diamond Crisis
Amid concerns over Botswana’s drug supply, the country’s President, Duma Boko, has declared a national public health emergency. He launched a 5 billion pula ($348 million) response plan as the country’s healthcare system buckles under the weight of a severe medical supply shortage. Indeed, Botswana’s drug supply is a central focus of this emergency plan. In a televised address to…
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GLP-1 Drugs Lower Cancer Rates in Weight Loss Study
New findings suggest that popular GLP-1 drugs, widely prescribed for weight loss and type 2 diabetes, may significantly influence a patient’s risk of developing certain cancers. This is mainly for the better. A comprehensive review of medical records has uncovered a compelling link. It found that the use of GLP-1 agonists – such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound –…
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Global Health Crisis and the Threat to NTD Programmes
Millions of life-saving medicines used to combat debilitating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are at risk of being wasted. Stockpiles are expiring in warehouses following the abrupt termination of a major US aid programme. Global health experts have sounded the alarm. They warn that this funding crisis could sabotage years of hard-won progress. Moreover, it could lead to a resurgence of…
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Public Health Reform: Urgent Changes Needed
The chair of Parliament’s portfolio committee on health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has called for urgent legislative reform. This is to tackle the escalating disruptions at public health facilities by activists from Operation Dudula. The call comes as the group intensifies its campaign to block suspected foreign nationals from accessing healthcare. Dr Dhlomo condemned the group’s actions, which have seen members…