News From The Frontline

Today on News From The Frontline we look at the impact of Covid-19 on mental health. We explore how multiple loss, unemployment, stress and isolation - among other things - has exposed the state of mental health in the country and resulted in shared trauma and strain. Following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s initial 21-day lockdown announcement on 23 March 2020 as a measure to flatten the curve of Covid-19 infections, call volumes to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG for short) doubled. In this episode we speak to Cassey Chambers from The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) and clinical psychologist Dr Erica Munnik.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around the impact of alcohol abuse and the alcohol ban on the healthcare system during Covid-19. On 27 March 2020, the South African government introduced its first ban on alcohol sales in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. While alcohol restrictions were revoked on 1 June 2020, recurring alcohol bans would soon shape the nation's response throughout its various lockdown levels in order to curb the spread of the virus.

In this episode we speak to Professor Tom Moultrie, Bongiwe Ndondo and Professor Sue Goldstein.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on equitable access to vaccines. We explore the role of vaccines during a global pandemic and take a look at the global challenges around the manufacturing, procurement and distribution of vaccines, specifically in South Africa, and factors opposing achieving herd immunity. In this episode we speak to Professor Glenda Gray.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on essential work and workers in South Africa. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, essential work is now widely understood as work deemed necessary to meet basic needs of human survival and well-being. But who determines what is deemed necessary work? In this episode we speak to Khululiwe Bhengu.

In the 8th episode of News From The Frontline, our podcast panel reflects on the support provided by Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity based at Tekano, to projects that aimed to tackle the social and economic inequalities that were brought to the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through their fellowship and support programme, Tekano seeks to inspire and sustain the changes South Africa needs, to bridge the enormous gap between rich and poor.

In this episode we hear from Lebogang Ramafoko, the Chief Executive of Tekano Atlantic Fellowship Health Equity South Africa, as well as Crystal Dicks the Programmes Director, and Munya Saruchera the Programmes Officer as they speak about Tekano's Covid-19 relief efforts.

Hosted by Busisiwe Gumede.

Brought to you by Tekano and produced by Volume.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on foreign migrant workers.

While South Africa was praised for its early lockdown and its Covid-19 testing capacity, the country has received criticism for the way in which it failed to provide for non-citizens - or immigrants - during lockdown.

In this episode we speak to Tinashe Njanji, Mafoko Phomane and Lelona Mxesibe.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around Covid-19 national lockdowns and the impact that they have had on children and education.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the closure of schools on 18 March until further notice as part of the country's fight against the spread of coronavirus. This led to to the interruption of the academic year but also stripped away school nutritional programmes, psycho-social support and healthcare for many children.

South African children were among the 776-million around the world that the UN reported were affected by school closures.

In this episode we speak to Firdoze Bulbulia, Faith Isiakpere, Justine Jowell and Kholofelo Mphahlele.

Presented by Busisiwe Gumede and Lebogang Ramafoko.

Brought to you by Tekano. Produced by Volume.

Today on News From The Frontline we are interrogating issues around Food Scarcity during lockdown and the time of COVID-19.

Before Coronavirus hit the African continent, 239 million people in Sub Saharan Africa were already undernourished. And food insecurity has led many to argue that they’ll die of hunger long before Coronavirus can kill them.

In this episode we speak to Nolubabalo Bulani, Theresa Wigley, Professor Ruth Hall and Ashley Newell.

Presented by Busisiwe Gumede and Lebogang Ramafoko. Brought to you by Tekano. Produced by Volume.

With the nation under lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus, the country has seen a surge in incidents of gender-based violence. President Ramaphosa declared gender-based violence the ‘second pandemic’.

SAPS recorded 2300 gender-based violence complaints in the first week of the lockdown alone. And in the first three weeks of lockdown, more than 120 000 survivors phoned the national hotline for abused women and children. That is double the usual volume of calls for a 3-week timeframe.

In this episode we look at how people are working to fight domestic violence across Africa.

This podcast is presented by Lebogang Ramafoko & Busisiwe Gumede.

It is brought to you by Tekano and produced by Volume.

In this episode we are interrogating issues around Community Health Workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

And through that process we focus on three Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity: Shehnaz Munshi, Rene Sparks and Tinashe T. Njanji.  

This podcast is presented by Lebogang Ramafoko & Busisiwe Gumede.

It is brought to you by Tekano and produced by Volume.