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Wednesday, 18 February, 2026

FOCUS: PUBLIC HEALTH

Landmark SCA ruling a major setback for Health Department

Venilla Yoganathan - 0
A key strategy of the Department of Health to tackle its multi-million rand burden of medico-legal claims has been dealt a major blow, with the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA)  – in a strongly-worded judgment – saying the state must act to reduce risks instead of seeking to change the law dealing with negligence. Medicalbrief writes that in the landmark case dealing with a damages ruling arising out of a cerebral palsy negligence case at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane, Eastern...
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NEWS UPDATE

Chinese MRI machines for Gauteng slammed by doctors

Doctors at Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital in Johannesburg have questioned a Gauteng Health Department decision to override their choice of MRI scanners and opting for what they say is costlier Chinese equipment. The machines are part of a R304m MRI scanner roll-out across Gauteng public hospitals, reports GroundUp. The doctors and the head of the hospital’s supply chain management committee have warned that the change could increase costs, downtime, and clinical risk. The dispute comes amid mounting diagnostic backlogs at provincial hospitals, including about 2 600 cancer patients at Charlotte Maxeke. In a letter to Gauteng Health’s acting CFO, the head of...

CMS wins bid to replace Sizwe Hosmed curator

The curator of the flailing Sizwe Hosmed medical scheme will be replaced, and it will remain fully functional, according to the Council for Medical Schemes, which succeeded in its bid last week to replace Lebogang Mpakati with Ian Fleming. The move follows a High Court order handed down on Wednesday, reports Business Day. Mpakati, who faces a provisional sequestration order regarding her previous work as a business rescue practitioner, has now been given 30 days to hand over all the information she has about the scheme to Fleming and provide a final report to the CMS. “The regulatory measures applied to Sizwe...

Western Cape won’t hire CHWs on a permanent basis

The Western Cape Department of Health & Wellness has no plans to comply with a 2025 Labour Court ruling that community health workers (CHWs) must be absorbed into the formal health workforce, saying that its current model is sustainable and effective. This comes as African Union leaders highlighted the urgency of employing more CHWs, and their critical role in the continent’s health sector. Health-e News, reports that CHWs have functioned as contractual workers for years, with no pension benefits, and with most of them hired by non-profit organisations and contracted by various health departments. However, last year the court ruled that they must...

AfriForum serves summons over NHI

Civil society organisation AfriForum served a summons on government yesterday in a bid to have the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act declared unconstitutional, reports Polity. The respondents are President Cyril Ramaphosa, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane. AfriForum said the flawed draft regulations for the Act have, once again, confirmed that the government is incapable of launching or managing such a complex system. “Due to the numerous court cases brought against NHI and the state’s enormous budget deficit, it was questioned whether the Minister of Health...

Health Minister grilled over ARV tenders

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he would welcome Special Investigating Unit (SIU) probe into the ARV tender if the Health Portfolio Committee chose to request one. IOL reports that this comes after EFF MP Naledi Chirwa suggested that the committee recommend the SIU to probe the tender amid suspected irregularities. “We want the SIU come in and investigate after so many red flag and these guys got the tender,” she said in reference to the awarding of the tender to Barrs Pharmaceuticals Industries and Innovata Pharmaceuticals, which were placed on business rescue in December 2025. Chirwa said the two companies, owned by...

Nelson Mandela Bay doctor accused of teen rape released on bail

A state-employed Nelson Mandela Bay doctor (56) charged with the rape of a teenager was granted bail of R5 000 on Friday in the Kariega Magistrate’s Court, on strict conditions, reports The Herald. His legal representative, Andre Dorfling, said his client intended to plead not guilty. Postponing the case to 26 March for further investigation, Magistrate Jason Thyse imposed strict conditions, which included that the doctor hand over his passport and report to the police station between 7am and 7pm every Sunday until the matter was finalised. Delivering his judgment, Thyse said it had been submitted that the accused was married, and...

Surgeries cancelled as Grey’s Hospital struggles without air-conditioning

The recent heatwave has exacerbated an ongoing crisis at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, where the central air-conditioning system remained non-functional, leaving operating theatres and intensive care units massively overheated and disrupting surgical services last week. Theatres are required to be kept at controlled temperatures because heat and humidity increase bacterial growth and the risk of surgical site infections, reports Echo Eyethu. Patients and staff battled the extreme conditions and high humidity, with major surgery being suspended, given the heightened risks of bacterial infections. A member of the maintenance staff said that not only is the contractor responsible for the air-conditioning system based...

Stellenbosch scientist leads global fight against AMR

A Stellenbosch biochemist has been selected to lead one of only two African teams in a $60m global consortium aimed at transforming antibiotic discovery and tackling the escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis, reports the Cape Argus. Professor Erick Strauss, a chemical biologist and head of Stellenbosch University’s Department of Biochemistry, will join the newly launched Gram-Negative Antibiotic Discovery Innovator (Gr-ADI) consortium, supported by the Gates Foundation, Novo Nordisk Foundation and Wellcome. In a joint announcement, the funders confirmed $60m in grant funding over the next three years to support 18 research projects across 17 countries. The teams were selected for their potential to revolutionise antibiotic discovery...

Planned protests after trade unions reject GEMS hikes

The proposed hefty contribution increase announced by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has been roundly rejected by unions in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC), which say the 9.8% hike from January, followed by a revised 9.5% increase from 1 April, is economically unjustifiable. They have demanded a withdrawal, and vowed to organise a march to the GEMS headquarters – and a demonstration – on 21 February, reports TimesLIVE. The proposals, they added, were “socially regressive and inconsistent with the founding mandate of GEMS”. The unions include the Public Servants Association, the Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of...

Four surgeries for Gauteng boy who swallowed magnetic balls

A nine-year-old boy from Germiston is finally out of the woods after his fourth surgery since accidentally swallowing three sensory magnetic balls last May, the start of a medical nightmare for his family, reports News24. The magnets had travelled to Theunis Rossouw's intestines and colon, causing holes to form and allowing fluid from his colon to leak into his abdomen. In the past eight months, said his mother Tanya Rossouw, the family has been through hell. Every time they thought the worst was over, there was a new setback. Theunis had to go under the knife three times shortly after the accident....

US health bosses zoom in on processed food safety

The US Food and Drug Administration will consider a petition to revoke the safety status of dozens of processed refined carbohydrates unless food companies can prove they are safe and not contributing to health issues and obesity, announced Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. Reuters reports that the FDA would take up a request by former agency Commissioner David Kessler, who asked it last August to remove corn syrup and dozens of other sweeteners and starches from the list of ingredients classified as GRAS, or Generally Recognised as Safe. Kennedy and Kessler say the GRAS classification, enacted by...

WHO slams US-funded baby vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has condemned the proposed and now-suspended randomised controlled trial planning to withhold the hepatitis B birth dose vaccine from newborns in Guinea‑Bissau, calling it unethical. The US-funded study had sought to give one set of babies the vaccine at birth, while another group would have had the shot delayed until they were six-weeks-old. The WHO said it had significant concerns about the plan, describing the birth-dose vaccine as “an effective and essential public health intervention, with a proven record for more than three decades, in more than 115 countries”. United States health authorities wanted to use the...

Expert UKZN alumni flags sleep apnoea cardiovascular risk

The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) recently welcomed back one of its distinguished alumni, internationally acclaimed Professor Virend Somers, who delivered a lecture on: Sleep Apnoea, Arrhythmias and Sudden Cardiac Death, illustrating how obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is not just a sleep disorder, but a potent and independent cardiovascular risk factor. Now with the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA, where he holds the Alice Sheets Marriott Professorship, Somers highlighted the growing global burden of sleep-related cardiovascular disease, reports Ndaba Online. A graduate of the former University of Natal, he earned his MBChB degree in South Africa...

Australian honour for Durban-born neurosurgeon

Former Durbanite Dr Ron Jithoo has been recognised with one of Australia's highest civilian honours, reports The Witness. Jithoo was recently awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Australia Day 2026 Honours List. Formerly of Reservoir Hills, Durban and now based in Melbourne, he received the honour in recognition of more than two decades of service in neurosurgery and public health. “I see the recognition not as an individual achievement, but as a reflection of the teams with whom I have worked, the patients who entrusted me with their care, and the opportunities provided by Australia’s public...

SAHPRA gives Section 21 approval for FMD jab

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) last week gave emergency authorisation for the importation of the Dollvet FMD vaccine, bringing some relief for the country’s farming sector grappling with Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD). SAHPRA said its Section 21 approval came with conditions, and that it was assessing an additional application for the same vaccine, reports the Sunday Tribune. The highly contagious outbreak, which affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs and goats, causing painful sores and severe production losses, prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a national disaster. SAHPRA CEO Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela said: “The health of our livestock is critical to South Africa’s...

Paediatric illness outbreak in Eastern Cape

A cluster of paediatric illness cases in Aberdeen, in the Sarah Baartman District of the Eastern Cape, has prompted a warning from the provincial Health Department, reports AlgoaFM. The Health MEC’s spokesperson, Camagwini Mavovana, said there had been an increase in children under five all suffering from similar respiratory and gastrointestinal symptoms. These include fever, headache, sore throat, cough or runny nose, loss of appetite, and in some cases, vomiting and abdominal cramps. She said the situation was being treated as a suspected localised outbreak, pending laboratory confirmation. Most cases are reported to be mild and manageable, and the department would continue...

MEDICO-LEGAL

Hospital denies negligence after baby allegedly falls from incubator

Tygerberg Hospital says an internal review has found no evidence of negligence after parents claimed one of their newborn twins fell from an incubator shortly after birth. IOL reports that the couple had alleged on social media that one of the infants had fallen from a faulty incubator – but the hospital’s investigation cleared both the institution and its staff of the allegations. In response to the Cape Argus, the hospital further warned that should the matter escalate into a medico-legal case, the merits of the case could not be explored any further. Extensive efforts to reach the parents for further comments...

Bayer offers $7.25bn settlement for Roundup cancer cases

Bayer said this week that its Monsanto unit had reached an agreement worth as much as $7.25bn to resolve tens of thousands of current and future lawsuits claiming that its Roundup weedkiller caused cancer, reports Reuters. The move is a milestone for the firm, which has spent years tackling legal risks tied to Roundup, acquired as part of its $63bn purchase of agrochemical company Monsanto in 2018. The German company said the proposed nationwide settlement, filed on Tuesday in state court in Missouri, would establish a long-term claims programme funded by capped annual payments over up to 21 years. The company is facing...

SOME RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS IN THE PAST WEEK

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Harmful chemicals found in SA sanitary products – UFS study

Menstrual products used by millions of South Africans may contain hormone-disrupting chemicals – even when marketed as “free from harmful chemicals” – suggests research from the University of the...

NUTRITION

Indigenous African foods might help fight diabetes – SA study

African indigenous food groups present an exciting area to explore when it comes to taste and nutrition, and may even offer potential as nutritional therapy for people with health...

VACCINES

Scientists find cause of blood clots linked to Covid jab

Australian researchers have said they finally know what caused the blood clots linked to Covid-19 vaccines early on in the pandemic. A “rare and severe” type of blood clot (vaccine-induced...

CARDIOVASCULAR

Benefits of pecans for heart health reaffirmed – US review

A scientific analysis of more than 20 years of research on pecans has reinforced positive evidence related to cardiovascular health and overall diet quality, while also identifying promising areas...

ABOUT US

MedicalBrief is Africa’s authoritative weekly digest of medical matters, both on the continent and around the world. It brings you a succinct summary of the latest developments, both in news and research, with links to the original material. Contact us: info@medicalbrief.co.za

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