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RFK Jr is in. Is health in America on its way out?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr has fought Big Pharma and Big Food, but he’s also spread dangerous misinformation about vaccines, fluoride and even HIV. Now he’s going to run the US health system.
Too little, too late: What a Pepfar waiver can’t do
On Saturday, the US state department issued details of who qualifies for a limited waiver during the Trump administration’s 90-day pause of foreign aid. The freeze has resulted in the temporary close down of several HIV treatment clinics in South Africa. The waiver, however, doesn’t allow for US government-funded anti-HIV pills, unless they’re given to pregnant women.
Rural areas need these health workers. So does the NHI
Community health workers — also known as ooNomakhaya in isiXhosa — fill a major gap in healthcare in hard-to-reach places. Which is why the National Health Insurance (NHI) needs to make sure they are part of the plan, writes Bulungula Incubator’s Sigrid Kite-Banks.
6-million young moms in Africa are not in school. They can be
In sub-Saharan Africa more than 6-million pregnant and parenting girls are out of school — and few go back after giving birth. Here’s how the barriers to girls’ schooling can be broken down to help keep young moms in class.
Why you can’t get anti-HIV pills or jabs at your local pharmacy — yet
Since July last year, a small revolution has been taking place at Mays Chemist in Melville, Johannesburg — and one that could make a real difference to HIV prevention in South Africa. But because of a drawn-out court case, a valuable opportunity to slow down new HIV infections in the country may be lost, researchers say.
What Life Esidimeni and Gauteng’s late payment of NGOs have in common
The way in which Gauteng’s social development department has treated nonprofits’ funding this year reminds, to some extent, of the provincial health department’s conduct in the Life Esidimeni saga. Lisa Vetten writes why it’s important that government’s decision-makers be held accountable.
Shunned: The hidden cost of speaking out about Life Esidimeni
An inquest has found that Gauteng’s former health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, and former head of mental health, Makgabo Manamela, can be held responsible for the death of Christine Nxumalo’s sister, Virginia Machpelah. Nxumalo was one of the first Life Esidimeni family members who spoke out about the death of a loved one. But it came at a devastatingly high cost. Here’s why.
Eight things Motsoaledi and Phaahla have in common
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi faces a massive challenge: rolling out a controversial NHI Act by a government of which only four out of 11 governing parties support the legislation. Does he have the skills? Mia Malan reports.
What the NHI won’t fix
Thirty years into democracy, South Africa still struggles with rolling out mostly well-designed policies. But if the circumstances in which a health system has to work aren’t fixed, simply passing a law to give everyone access to healthcare won’t change things for the better. Here’s why.
Should your party save you from floods? Voters think so
: Last week, the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal was mopping up damage after being battered by heavy, unexpected rainfall over the weekend — almost 50 times more in 24 hours than what the usual daily average is here. How seriously should your political party take such issues? Here’s what voters think.
Will the food industry sacrifice its fat profits for health?
South Africa’s growing obesity epidemic won’t be reversed by preaching healthier eating habits and exercise alone; there’s a growing realisation that the food industry needs to change, write David Harrison and Liezel Engelbrecht.
‘I’m a smoker — and I want stricter tobacco control’
Civil rights activist Koketso Moeti has been smoking for over 20 years. Yet she supports South Africa’s new Tobacco Bill, which bans indoor smoking, including vaping, in public buildings. Here’s why.
Why is TB called the ‘disease of paper’ in Eastern Cape villages?
The words we use to describe diseases tell us more about how people experience living with it. The isiXhosa word for tuberculosis, isifo sephepha, is a case in point. Understanding where it comes from can help to break down the stigma around the disease.
Does SA’s biggest killer show up in your party’s manifesto?
A curable and preventable disease is South Africa’s biggest killer. Is your political party going to do something about it — and does it show up in their election manifesto?
Stigma, inaction and cost: Will SA treat obesity with lessons learned from HIV?
About two-thirds of women and almost a third of men in South Africa are overweight or have obesity. It’s a new public health threat, which, if not acted on now, will have serious consequences for the wellbeing of the country. But rather than making it a game of blame and shame, there are two things that can be done right now.
Eating to survive: How to know if your party is taking hunger seriously
David Harrison breaks down five ways in which hunger among children can be decreased and explains why it’s important to hold the party you plan to vote for accountable to do something about food insecurity.