In a strategic move to enhance local medicine manufacturing, Sahpra aims to fast-track the approval of locally made medicines. This is an effort to secure the national supply. Sahpra’s decision aims to address drug shortages and reduce reliance on imports. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen the nation’s pharmaceutical industry through initiatives in local medicine manufacturing. In a significant move to…
Tag: Public Health
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Public Healthcare Advocacy Sparked by ActionSA Campaign
A campaign spearheaded by ActionSA MP Dr Kgosi Letlape, urging public officials to use public healthcare facilities exclusively, is gaining traction. It is also forcing a much-needed national conversation about public healthcare in the country. The proposal, which Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi endorses, suggests that if leaders experienced the healthcare system designed for the majority, they would feel compelled…
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Emergency Vaccinations Reduce Global Disease Deaths
New research has revealed the immense power of emergency vaccination programmes. These programmes have reduced deaths from five major infectious diseases by an estimated 60% over the past two decades. The study, the first of its kind, also highlights the colossal economic benefits of rapid vaccine deployment. Researchers estimate these benefits at tens of billions of dollars. Researchers analysed the…
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UNAIDS and the Fight Against Global AIDS Progress
Decades of remarkable progress in the global fight against HIV and AIDS are in jeopardy following massive and abrupt international funding withdrawals, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and Aids (UNAIDS) announced at the launch of its Global AIDS Update 2025. The report, titled “AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform”, was unveiled at Bertha Gxowa Hospital in Germiston.…
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Motsoaledi’s Budget Aims to Strengthen Health System
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has outlined a budget of R64.8 billion for the 2025/26 financial year. He presented a plan to Parliament aimed at strengthening the public health system. This system has been battered by years of austerity and recent geopolitical challenges. Within Motsoaledi’s budget, there are strategies in place to address infrastructure issues and healthcare staff shortages. In…
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HIV/AIDS Funding Gap: Government Steps In
The South African government has stepped in with a crucial R753.5 million injection from the National Treasury to sustain the nation’s HIV/Aids programmes. This vital funding seeks to close the HIV/AIDS funding gap. The withdrawal of the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) significantly impacted this gap. This move had threatened to derail decades of progress in…
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Funding Gap Threatens HIV and TB Progress
The public health system is facing a severe crisis, gripped by uncertainty and despair. This occurs five months after the withdrawal of approximately R7 billion in annual US aid. This has resulted in a funding gap that exacerbates the situation further. The government’s extended silence on a recovery plan has left healthcare workers and civil society organisations demanding immediate action.…
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Medicaid Coverage slashed by US Bill
Leading healthcare organisations have strongly condemned the passage of a major tax-cut and spending bill in the United States, due to proposed Medicaid cuts that directly impact Medicaid coverage. They warn that drastic changes to the nation’s healthcare safety net will cause widespread harm, leaving millions of Americans without medical coverage. Republicans passed a controversial bill late last week focused…
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USAID Funding Cuts Could Trigger 14 Million Deaths by 2030
Deep and ongoing USAID funding cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), coupled with its potential dismantling, could result in more than 14 million additional deaths across the globe by 2030. This is according to new research. The study, published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet on Monday, 30 June, highlights the catastrophic human cost of the…
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New COVID-19 Variant No Threat to South Africa
While the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided from its peak, the virus continues to circulate and evolve globally. The recent designation of a new variant, NB.1.8.1, by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has sparked online discussion. South Africa’s leading scientists are urging calm while highlighting a more pressing local issue: vaccine accessibility. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed…
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Substandard Cancer Drugs in Africa Are A Serious Concern
A groundbreaking investigation across four African nations has uncovered a disturbing truth: a significant portion of cancer medications are substandard or counterfeit. This leaves vulnerable patients with treatments that may be ineffective or even harmful. The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, sheds light on a critical and previously unmeasured gap in pharmaceutical regulation on the continent. It highlights…
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Biovac Secures Deal to Produce Pneumonia Vaccine
In a significant move for continental health security, Cape Town-based research group Biovac has announced a major technology transfer agreement with Indian pharmaceutical firm Biological E. The Biovac initiative will enable the company to produce and distribute a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV14) across Africa. This marks a vital step towards self-sufficiency in vaccine manufacturing. The partnership will accelerate the growth…