Health

Government job freeze alarms health professionals

No vacant posts in Eastern Cape public hospitals and clinics are to be filled until December, according to a departmental circular. The Rural Health Advocacy Project fears that if such measures continue it could have “catastrophic consequences for health care”, especially in the rural areas.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 9 November 2015

SA vaccines get a shot in the arm

The $20-million partnership between pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and South Africa's Biovac Institute was “the beginning of the establishment of vaccine manufacturing capabilities on the continent”, science and technology minister Naledi Pandor told GroundUp.

Sarah Wild

News | 4 November 2015

Essential TB medicine: is it back in stock?

On 5 October, GroundUp reported that the pharmaceutical company Sandoz had stopped supplying an essential medicine for treating tuberculosis (TB) to South Africa.

GroundUp Staff

Brief | 2 November 2015

Tense wait for silicosis decision

Mineworkers with silicosis and TB will have to wait a while to find out whether they can be represented as a class in legal action for damages against the gold mines which employed them.

Pete Lewis

News | 26 October 2015

Silicosis case: mines are being obstructive, say miners’ lawyers

If the court did not decide in favour of the gold miners in the silicosis case, hundreds of thousands of sick miners and their families would not be heard, advocates for the mineworkers told the Gauteng High Court yesterday.

Pete Lewis

News | 23 October 2015

Silicosis: Anglo American plays the race card

Attempts by lawyers for mining giant Anglo American to play the race card in the silicosis case were rebuffed by the South Gauteng High Court yesterday.

Pete Lewis

News | 22 October 2015

Why #ThePriceOfBreadMustFall matters

Amidst the #FeesMustFall protests, a second #MustFall has emerged and has largely fallen under the radar: #ThePriceOfBreadMustFall. On Tuesday, a group of activists occupied the Shoprite in Khayelitsha Mall demanding lower food prices generally, and bread prices in particular.

Jane Battersby-Lennard

Analysis | 22 October 2015

Mines not liable for TB, silicosis hearing told

Mines cannot be held liable for TB, advocates for the gold mines told the South Gauteng High Court yesterday.

Pete Lewis

News | 20 October 2015

Try getting an ambulance in this part of Grahamstown

Earlier this month, Health-e reported the difficulties of accessing ambulances in rural Eastern Cape. Here we report on how difficult it is to get an ambulance in a township as close as five kilometres from the nearest hospital.

Hancu Louw

Feature | 16 October 2015