Medical Brief News Updates

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has – without explanation – lifted a hold on payments for scores of existing grants to South Africa, apparently softening its previous controversial change to its foreign funding policy that had put many clinical trials abroad in limbo, and hopefully rebooting critical research,… Read more »

Workplace bullying within the medical profession is a silent epidemic, with junior doctors being the most vulnerable, KwaZulu-Natal researchers have found. Writing in the SA Medical Journal, researchers from the College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal expressed concern that few cases are reported and that responses and feedback are… Read more »

The National Department of Health has condemned the action taken by some groups to prevent foreign nationals from accessing essential healthcare services around the country, after campaigners in both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal blocked clinic and hospital entry to migrant patients, demanding proof of identity before anyone was allowed in. This… Read more »

A task team from the Eastern Cape Department of Health is to present a report shortly on the staffing haemorrhage from Gqeberha’s Livingstone Hospital and the failure to fill positions in key departments, including surgery, internal medicine, radiology and ICU, where minimal replacements have been hired, reports News24. Doctors have left… Read more »

The supervisor who was placed on precautionary suspension after the death of Dr Aluluto Mazwi at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal has not yet returned to work, confirmed MEC Nomagugu Simelane last week, adding that they were still awaiting the final report after an investigation by the Ombudsman. IOL… Read more »

Health authorities in the Free State have confirmed 64 cases of measles across the Lejweleputswa district in children aged between five and nine, reports SABC News, hard on the heels of rising cases across Gauteng. They are urging parents and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated against the disease… Read more »

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has announced and welcomed its newly appointed board members, effective from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030. They are Dr Thapelo Motshudi (chairperson), Professor Glenda Gray (vice-chairperson), Dr Alfred Kgasi, Dr Chevon Clark, Dr Johanna Gouws, Dr Thobeka Boltina, Mmatebogo Nkoenyane,… Read more »

Novartis has received approval in Switzerland for Coartem Baby, the first drug to treat malaria in babies and very young children, with eight African countries which participated in the assessment now expected to issue quick approvals for the treatment, reports Reuters. The treatment, also known as Riamet Baby in some countries,… Read more »

South Africa is cementing its leadership role in global pandemic preparedness through a major expansion of its genomic surveillance partnership with Germany and the EU, with the next phase of the Genomic Surveillance Project launching at the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CERI), Stellenbosch University’s epidemic response institute. With… Read more »

The World Health Organisation wants health taxes hiked worldwide to slow down the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, pointing to a recent report suggesting that a 50% price rise on sugary drinks, alcohol and tobacco could prevent 50m premature deaths over the next half century, reports News24. Tobacco on its own… Read more »