South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
-
Although only about a third of South African (SA) adults indicate that they consume alcohol, heavy drinking is common. As a result, society carries large alcohol-related mortality and economic burdens. ⋯ An MUP on alcohol is not a silver bullet, but could have a significant impact on reducing the consumption of alcohol among regular heavy-drinking households, and to a lesser extent among occasional heavy-drinking and intermediate-drinking households. The government should strongly consider implementing such a policy.
-
Research in human vaccines and immunisation plays a crucial role in shaping national, regional and global health policies aimed at controlling vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). To our knowledge, the landscape of human vaccine and immunisation research in South Africa (SA) is not well characterised. ⋯ The landscape of human vaccine and immunisation research in SA is growing and adapting to the emerging trends in vaccinology, with a focus on the duo epidemic of HIV and TB, as well as Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI)-related vaccinations. This research contributes to locally relevant evidence that can be used to inform future vaccine and EPI-related research.
-
Dialysis is a life-saving but costly therapy, which in the local context may be considered to be a constrained resource. The residual effects of South Africa (SA)'s historical inequalities and the pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease in our population result in significant demand being placed upon state dialysis units, which consequently are forced to ration access to treatment. ⋯ Consequently, jurisprudence relevant to the provision of dialysis and other similarly resource-constrained therapies has evolved. In this article, we discuss a recent case that led to a landmark ruling on the access of non-SA nationals to dialysis, contextualised against existing guidelines and legislation and the status of renal replacement therapy in this country.