People across the country are pulling out all the stops to help register pensioners for the COVID-19 vaccine, and now pension payout points where thousands queue for their monthly grant, are being targeted.

Rare thromboembolic events have been observed during the vaccination rollout, which have prompted cautionary pauses in vaccinations by some regulatory authorities, including the South Africa Health Products Regulatory Authority.

Since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has been responsive to change, leading research and dialogue on the pandemic. It also continued with pioneering cutting-edge medical innovations and programmes to support the South African Government’s response to the pandemic and improve the quality of life and health status of people in South Africa.

The Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) is very pleased to announce renewed funding by the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) to tackle drug-resistant infections.

Non-communicable diseases contribute significantly to the disease burden within South Africa. In the most unequal of societies in the world, poverty and socio-economic disparity are amongst the greatest obstacles facing South Africans, impacting heavily on health care.