News & Analysis: South Africa

African states face acute shortages of oxygen supplies and ICU beds

“WHO regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti said that hospital admissions for severely ill COVID-19 patients had reached unprecedented levels in about 10 countries; at least six countries were facing shortages in intensive care unit beds and medical oxygen.”

via The East African

‘Contingency plans’ for delivery of oxygen as unrest puts private hospitals in KZN and Gauteng under pressure

“The rioting has compromised the services provided by third-party suppliers, specifically: catering, cleaning and security. All our hospitals are coping to the best of their ability and making contingency plans to ensure that our patients continue to receive the best care possible under the circumstances. We can confirm that we have closed vaccination sites at KZN Life Healthcare hospitals until further notice.”

via Daily Maverick

South Africa records 16,302 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours

“Of the new cases, the NICD said that 8,543 were recorded in Gauteng, followed by 1,945 cases recorded in the Western Cape.”

via Sunday Times

South Africa’s WTO ambassador on the logic behind a COVID-19 IP waiver

“South Africa, Mlumbi-Peter said, was fully aware that IP was not the only barrier to ramping up vaccine production. Voluntary licences, technology transfer and the sharing of clinical data as well as trade secrets could all play a part in what she called the toolkit of combating the pandemic.”

via Financial Times

Despite supply and administration challenges, South Africa’s vaccine roll-out can succeed

“Leadership and tough negotiations with drug companies is required to avoid wastage, increase weekly COVID-19 vaccination numbers and prevent a slowdown in the national roll-out.”

via Daily Maverick

South Africa’s vaccine rollout has hit yet another roadblock

“South Africa has suffered the latest in a series of setbacks to its COVID-19 vaccination program, with the country’s medical-products regulator saying on Sunday that doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine that were manufactured at a plant in Baltimore, Maryland and awaiting distribution in South Africa cannot be used because of possible contamination.”

via Quartz Africa

Ramaphosa puts Africa on the agenda and wins backing on vaccine distribution and production but doubts persist on funding

“In painfully slow increments, South Africa, India together with the leaders of the World Health Organization and World Trade Organization, backed by an army of campaigners are gleaning commitments on vaccines.”

via Africa Confidential

How do we know if South Africa is in a third COVID-19 wave — and could there be a fourth?

“South Africa is on the cusp of a third COVID-19 wave, with some provinces already there. The country hasn’t vaccinated nearly enough people for its vaccination roll-out to make a difference to the potential severity of this wave, experts have warned.”

via Mail & Guardian

Risk of COVID-19 surge threatens Africa’s health facilities

“As the risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases increases, African countries must urgently boost critical care capacity to prevent health facilities from being overwhelmed. This comes as vaccine shipments to the continent grind to a near halt.”

via WHO Africa

South Africa is not reaching herd immunity. Our new goal is containment.

“South Africa was aiming to immunise 41-million people by the end of the year in order to reach herd immunity, the point at which COVID-19 was no longer spreading. But this level of community protection is hard to achieve when the goal posts keep moving with the emergence of new variants.”

via Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism