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Norbert Ndjeka was born on World TB Day. Decades later, he would reshape how South Africa treats the deadliest forms of the disease. (Supplied)

How a boy born on World TB Day helped turn the tide on SA’s deadliest TB

Norbert Ndjeka was born on World TB Day. Decades later, he would reshape how South Africa treats the deadliest forms of the disease

While the country continues to debate the future of healthcare reform through National Health Insurance (NHI), millions of South Africans are dealing with a far more immediate reality which is the rising cost of accessing care today

How South Africa is legislating its way into a healthcare crisis

Unregulated tariffs and the lack of low-cost benefit schemes drive up the price of medical aid premiums, causing patients to feel the pain

Joe Phaahla. (Photo by Jaco Marais/Die Burger/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

Employment for doctors is increasing in public sector, says Phaahla

But there are still not enough vacancies for junior doctors, according to the minister

Flatline: Public healthcare fails in most provinces because of poor leadership in hospitals and at provincial government, decaying infrastructure and overworked staff. Photo: Waldo Swiegers/Getty Images

Department of Health

The department has tried to turn the health system around but it’s plagued by inefficiency, staff shortages, dismal leadership and governance failures

Joe Phaahla. (Photo by Jaco Marais/Die Burger/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

More doctors employed this year than 2022 – Phaahla

Minister blames shortages in the public health sector on budget constraints and the fact that doctors are reluctant to work in rural areas

In his 2025 State of the Nation address the president promised improved healthcare access and infrastructure. (Photo by Guillem Sartorio/Getty Images)

National Health Insurance ‘sounds too good to be true’

People who rely on public health facilities say the scheme is just way for the government to avoid dealing with the hard problems

Popo Maja

Former health spokesperson Popo Maja in court over alleged Digital Vibes graft

Maja appeared in the specialised commercial crimes court on charges of corruption

Unhealthy state of affairs: Nehawu members protest outside Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in Soweto last week. Photo: Fani Mahuntsi/Gallo Images

Talks resume as public service strike turns ugly

Public service unions, the government return to the bargaining table as a second wave of strikes looms

Nehauw union members in Cape Town. Photo: GroungUp

Nehawu strike could have resulted in four deaths, says health minister

Joe Phaahla said no one needing emergency care should be turned away from health facilities, as had happened during the strike

TOPSHOT – A medical personnel stands in front of a ward of a Cholera Treatment Centre, funded by the Unicef, Malawi Red Cross and UK Aid, at Bwaila Hospital in the capital Lilongwe, Malawi, January 25, 2018. Malawi has been facing a cholera outbreak since late 2017 and UNICEF Malawi is making efforts to contain the outbreak. / AFP PHOTO / AMOS GUMULIRA (Photo credit should read AMOS GUMULIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Two cases of cholera reported in South Africa

South Africa had its last cholera outbreak more than a decade ago with about 12 000 cases, following an outbreak in neighbouring Zimbabwe

Members of the civil rights movement #NotInMyName hold posters as they march with others in a protest against record blackouts due to troubles at state-owned power utility Eskom and a raise in prices by 18.65 percent in Pretoria on January 20, 2023. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP)

Eskom, government face constitutional challenge on load-shedding

Nineteen interest groups are seeking urgent relief from ongoing load-shedding to ensure the provision of basic services

The future of our healthcare system is in our hands; we approach it with responsibility, collaboration and a deep commitment to the well-being of all people.  (Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A tenth of public hospitals across South Africa exempted from load-shedding

Several public health facilities have exhausted their 12-month supply of diesel and oil as nationwide load-shedding persists

South Africa has recorded its fifth case of monkeypox. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Fifth case of monkeypox confirmed in South Africa

The rising number of cases has become a cause for concern, says health minister

Candice Potgieter, chief executive of The Unlimited Child (left) at an early childhood development centre in KwaZulu-Natal

Early childhood development sector rises above flood

The deluge in KwaZulu-Natal put learning under strain but ECD practitioners are overcoming the difficulties

A medical laboratory technician picks up from a fridge a reactive to test suspected monkeypox samples at the microbiology laboratory of La Paz Hospital on June 06, 2022 in Madrid, Spain. Europe is at the centre of the monkeypox virus outbreak, the World Health Organisation reported 780 confirmed cases with Britain, Spain and Portugal reporting the largest numbers of patients. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images)

First case of monkeypox confirmed in South Africa

Disease detected in a 30 year old male who had no history of travel, contact tracing underway to identify any additional linked cases

Redundant: Many things can be disposed of. Masks have gone; hopefully corrupt officials will go soon. Photo: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/AFP

The gloves (and masks) are off

Facemaskpreneurs and state capture agents are the only ones unhappy about Wednesday’s dual announcements

No more face masks, says government

Also repealed were the limit on public gatherings and vaccine status checks at ports of entry

Carefully now: President Cyril Ramaphosa has his temperature taken. (ER Lombard/Gallo Images)

Repeal of remaining Covid rules on the way?

The President’s Coordinating Council will on Wednesday discuss the possible lifting of remaining pandemic regulations as SA exits fifth wave

Joe Phaahla. (Photo by Jaco Marais/Die Burger/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

MPs worried Health Act amendments will threaten citizens’ autonomy

More than 150 000 public comments were sent to the department of health after the government suspended the national state of disaster

Health minister Joe Phaahla. (Photo by Leila Dougan/Daily Maverick/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

DA, AfriForum again reject health Act amendments ahead of minister’s briefing

Members of the public have until 15 April to comment on the proposed draft regulations.