Latest news with #G20HealthWorkingGroup
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
New Covid-19 variant NB.1.8.1 spreading, what to expect in SA
Speaking at the G20 Health Working Group on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said South Africa is well prepared to respond. As the new Covid-19 variant spreads across China, South Africa is closely monitoring the Omicron descendant, NB.1.8.1, as health authorities prepare for its potential arrival. According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), as of Tuesday, 10 June 2025, the NB.1.8.1 variant has not been detected in South Africa. 'Data from the NICD's respiratory illness syndromic surveillance programmes, which operate in selected public and private hospitals and outpatient facilities, show that the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections is currently low,' it said. However, the country is experiencing a rise in influenza (flu) cases due to the onset of the cold season. 'South Africa is well prepared' Speaking at the G20 Health Working Group in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said South Africa is well prepared to respond. 'I wish to reassure this esteemed gathering that South Africa has robust surveillance systems in place. 'Our NICD manages a comprehensive sentinel surveillance programme that systematically tests for key respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. Currently, our data show very low SARS-CoV-2 activity,' Motsoaledi explained. ALSO READ: Fizz away colds and flu with newly-launched Cepacol raspberry effervescent Furthermore, the minister said that the updated recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 remain effective. 'Crucially, the new variant remains a descendant of the Omicron lineage. Therefore, at this stage, no specific new public health actions are required from the public,' he said. Flu season Motsoaledi said the government continues to promote good hygiene practices, including hand washing, covering coughs, and staying home when feeling unwell. 'These simple measures are effective in reducing the spread of all respiratory illnesses. We will continue to monitor the situation closely through our established networks and will report any significant changes.' During flu season, the NICD reminded the public to practice hand and respiratory hygiene, as well as cover coughs and sneezes. 'Individuals who are unwell with respiratory symptoms should practice regular hand washing, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid contact with people who may be at high risk of severe respiratory illness,' it urged. NOW READ: Why a flu jab is still the smartest thing you can do this winter
IOL News
2 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
New Covid-19 variant Nimbus under surveillance, says Health Minister
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi seeks to ease public fears regarding the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant, Nimbus or NB.1.8.1, amid recent reports of its spread across more than 22 countries. Image: GCIS As South Africa faces its coldest weather to date, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has reassured the public that the current Covid-19 variant, which has been reported in 22 countries, poses no cause for concern. He emphasised that his department is closely monitoring the Nimbus or NB.1.8.1 Covid-19 variant. Motsoaledi on Tuesday addressed the 4th G20 Health Working Group meeting held at the Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, where health professionals and policymakers from across the globe gathered to discuss various health-related issues, including having a clear focus on pandemic prevention preparedness, and response, which is one of the five G20 Health Working Group priorities. While cases of Covid-19 have been detected in India, as well as 21 other countries, including regions of Asia, Europe, the US, and Australia, Motsoaledi warned South Africans to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety. "All we are saying is that this is under surveillance, and if there is anything to be done, we will inform the public. "But for now, continue washing your hands regularly, cover your cough, stay at home, and wear a mask if you think you have caught the flu. That is all that needs to be done for now," he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Currently, South Africa is seeing an increase in influenza cases due to the winter season. Those with respiratory symptoms are advised to take extra care with regular hand washing, covering of coughs and sneezes, and by avoiding contact with people who may be at high risk of severe respiratory illnesses. Ahead of the meeting, Motsoaledi indicated that his department will use this meeting to advocate for concrete, actionable strategies to operationalise vaccine equity as a core pillar of global pandemic readiness, as part of discussions on critical global health-related issues. The World Health Organisation has designated it a Variant Under Monitoring due to its growing global presence, adding that the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) is closely monitoring the situation. "I wish to reassure this esteemed gathering that South Africa has robust surveillance systems in place... Our National Institute for Communicable Diseases manages a comprehensive Sentinel Surveillance programme that systematically tests for key respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. "Currently, our data shows very low SARS-CoV-2 activity. While we are observing a seasonal increase in influenza, we are well prepared to manage this," he added. This, he said, is in line with the Pandemic Agreement recently adopted by the World Health Organisation, with some of the discussions aimed at building on the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, while also expected to deliver commitments that reflect South Africa's G20 priorities of solidarity, equality, and sustainability. Cape Argus
IOL News
3 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Health Minister reassures South Africa about new Covid-19 variant Nimbus
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi sought to ease public fears regarding the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant, Nimbus or NB.1.8.1, amid recent reports of its spread across more than 22 countries. Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers With South Africa experiencing its coldest weather yet, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has assured South Africans that the current Covid-19 variant, reported to be circulating in 22 countries, is no cause for concern as his department is closely monitoring the Nimbus or NB.1.8.1 Covid-19 variant. On Tuesday, Motsoaledi addressed the 4th G20 Health Working Group meeting held at the Melrose Arch, Johannesburg, where health professionals and policymakers from across the globe gathered to discuss various health-related issues, including having a clear focus on pandemic prevention preparedness, and response, which is one of the five G20 Health Working Group priorities. While cases of Covid-19 have been detected in India, as well as 21 other countries, including regions of Asia, Europe, the US, and Australia, Motsoaledi warned South Africans to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety. "All we are saying is that this is under surveillance, and if there is anything to be done, we will inform the public. But for now, continue washing your hands regularly, cover your cough, stay at home, and wear a mask if you think you have caught the flu. That is all that needs to be done for now," the minister stated. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Currently, South Africa is seeing an increase in influenza cases due to the winter season. Those with respiratory symptoms are advised to take extra care with regular hand washing, covering of coughs and sneezes, and by avoiding contact with people who may be at high risk of severe respiratory illnesses. Ahead of the meeting, Motsoaledi indicated that his department will use this meeting to advocate for concrete, actionable strategies to operationalise vaccine equity as a core pillar of global pandemic readiness, as part of discussions on critical global health-related issues. The World Health Organization has designated it a Variant Under Monitoring due to its growing global presence, adding that the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) is closely monitoring the situation. "I wish to reassure this esteemed gathering that South Africa has robust surveillance systems in place... Our National Institute for Communicable Diseases manages a comprehensive Sentinel Surveillance programme that systematically tests for key respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV. "Currently, our data shows very low SARS-CoV-2 activity. While we are observing a seasonal increase in influenza, we are well prepared to manage this," he added. This, he said, is in line with the Pandemic Agreement recently adopted by the World Health Organization, with some of the discussions aimed at building on the lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic, while also expected to deliver commitments that reflect South Africa's G20 priorities of solidarity, equality, and sustainability.
Eyewitness News
3 days ago
- Health
- Eyewitness News
Motsoaledi: Agreement serves as a monumental step to countering future pandemics
JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi said the pandemic agreement serves as a monumental step towards countering any future pandemics in the world. The minister was speaking during his address at the fourth G20 Health Working Group meeting in Johannesburg. The week-long discussions are aimed at strengthening global preparedness for future pandemics and strategies to ensure vaccine equity. Just in May, the 78th World Health Assembly adopted the second international health treaty, formally known as the Pandemic Agreement. Commenting on the move, Motsoaledi said the pandemic agreement serves as a legally binding instrument for preventing future pandemics and improving response mechanisms. He added that the historic agreement is built on several key pillars, one being that all countries have affordable access to pandemic-related health products. "The Pandemic Agreement was adopted with the overwhelming support of 124 member states, a clear global consensus on the need for a new path forward. The resolution adopted by the 78th world health assembly is of paramount importance as it represents the formal, political culmination of the entire INB process.' The minister also mentioned that the agreement signifies a collective commitment from member states.
Daily Maverick
22-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Maverick
SA should ditch its woefully inequitable and expensive American health system
Even before the extraordinary ambush by President Trump in the Oval Office, President Ramaphosa was aware that South Africa had come in for special treatment from the new US administration. In addition to threats of punitive import tariffs and massive cuts in aid (especially for HIV programmes) the US secretary of state announced on X that he would not attend the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November. His reasoning is that South Africa is 'doing very bad things' which includes using the G20 to promote 'solidarity, equality and sustainability'. The latter charge is indeed true, as evidenced by the G20 Health Working Group meeting in Durban in March, where the overarching theme was 'Accelerating Health Equity, Solidarity and Universal Coverage'. However, these aren't arbitrary slogans, they are principles and values the entire world (including the US) signed up to when all nations agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. In response, Ramaphosa has said South Africa will not be bullied and now he, like other leaders in countries targeted by Trump, such as Canada, China and Denmark, are looking for policy responses to demonstrate to their populations and their peers that they will not kow-tow to this American imperialism. As the President considers his options, one opportunity he might consider is responding to this crisis by rapidly reforming South Africa's US-style health system. Courtesy of its apartheid past, South Africa, like the US, has a racially divided health system as a result of the mirrored economic inequity, dominated by private health insurance funding. In both countries, roughly half of total health expenditure is channelled through private insurance schemes which are characterised by high premiums, inadequate coverage and extremely high administration costs. These systems are woefully inequitable as the poor and vulnerable are excluded. Also in both countries, it is evident that insurance companies are incapable of constraining ballooning costs in the private health sector. Instead, they simply pass the burden on to households and employers in the form of skyrocketing premiums and unaffordable copayments. Not only does this reduce health coverage, it is also detrimental to the economy, as research conducted by Professor Angus Deaton, a Nobel Laureate in the US, shows that higher health insurance premiums are driving down wages of American workers. Inefficient health insurance schemes are also making US businesses less competitive and fuelling higher levels of inequality. The warning signs for South Africa are clear: do nothing and the country will end up like the US, which spends an astonishing 18% of its GDP on its inefficient health system but also has some of the worst health outcomes (notably for maternal mortality) in the OECD. Thankfully the rest of the world has learnt how to overcome these failings, by replacing private health financing (insurance and patient fees) with public financing, in the form of general taxation and compulsory social health insurance. Globally this is the proven way for countries to achieve universal health coverage, whereby everyone receives the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. Every wealthy country in the world has done this, with the exception of the US, where 10% of people still lack adequate health coverage. This situation is set to deteriorate further as Trump and some Republican governors seek to unwind the modest advances made by former president Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Under this administration, America is clearly moving away from universal health coverage. But the good news is that South Africa has a sound strategy to move towards it, through implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act which was signed into law last May. In creating a single-payer system, funded primarily from general taxation, South Africa will compel healthy-wealthy members of society to cross-subsidise services for the sick and the poor. This is the foundation for successful universal health coverage reforms worldwide. However, just like in the US, powerful vested interest groups who profit from the existing system, are trying to block South Africa's NHI reforms, by mounting legal challenges and spreading misinformation about the supposed dangers of introducing a publicly financed health system. This includes the suggestion that middle-income countries like South Africa can't afford a tax-financed NHI, when evidence from countries such as Thailand, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey shows this is patently untrue. Moreover, the salutary lesson from America's failing and unpopular health system is that relying on private insurance is much more expensive than switching to a public system. Doing nothing and sleepwalking into a full-blown US health system will inhibit South Africa's economic development. Therefore if South Africa wishes to use the G20 Presidency to demonstrate its commitment to solidarity, equality and sustainability, what better way can it do this than fast-track its own universal health reforms in 2025? Not only will this bring huge health benefits to the people of South Africa, it will also stimulate economic growth, create jobs, increase real wages and reduce levels of health and income inequalities. Implementing this policy alone could therefore simultaneously accelerate progress towards multiple sustainable development goals. This would provide a lasting legacy for the people of South Africa and enable the country to demonstrate global leadership in increasing equity and solidarity despite the divisive policies adopted by other powers. DM
