Report 1 | Methodology and Description of a National Sample of Verbal Autopsies

Executive Summary

South Africa has a well-established Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System (CRVS) with a high proportion of deaths being registered. The quality of the cause of death statistics that arise from the death notification forms completed by medical doctors, however, is sub-optimal, making it difficult to obtain a reliable cause of death profile or monitor trends in the number of deaths from specific causes.

BoDRU, in collaboration with the Gender and Health and Biostatistics unit, conducted a survey of more than 25,000 non-natural deaths that presented to mortuaries in 2017 in order to:

• describe the incidence of fatal injury rates in South Africa by age, sex and cause
• compare the provincial injury mortality rates for fatal injuries

Key messages of the 2nd Injury Mortality Survey for 2017 include:

Evaluation Report | First survey 2017-2019

This project sought to evaluate the linkage to and retention in HIV care rates, and the possible barriers and facilitators to HIV care in a single high HIV prevalence rural setting in South Africa. Enhancing linkage to and retention in care is important for the universal test and treat (UTT) strategy to achieve its full potential impact on the epidemic.

• Cancer Incidence in Selected Municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province 2013-2017
• Eastern Cape province Cancer Registry 2003–2007  
• Cancer Incidence in Selected Municipalities of the Eastern Cape Province 1998-2002 Summary Report  

• Under-5 mortality statistics in South Africa: Shedding some light on the trends and causes 1997-2007
• Cause of death statistics for South Africa: Challenges and possibilities for improvement
• Unabated rise in number of adult deaths in South Africa – 2004  Scientific let