Vaccine Manufacturing Boost: The African Development Bank approved up to R250m for Biovac to build a new multi-vaccine facility in Cape Town, aiming to scale local production and cut Africa’s heavy reliance on imports. Health Security Watch: A new Africa Health Security Index says preparedness is improving but gaps remain dangerously wide, with biosecurity and biosafety still low across the continent. Mental Health & Care: UN Women called for a family-centred approach to tackling gender-based violence, warning it increasingly affects children and entire households. Public Health & Safety: Western Cape opened a new 30-bed acute psychiatric unit at Eerste River Hospital, adding capacity for urgent mental health care. Air Quality Alert: Johannesburg was flagged among the world’s more polluted cities, with air quality rated “moderate” but still a concern for people with asthma, heart disease and older adults. Healthcare System Pressure: City Power’s R44bn backlog and rising outages are worsening service reliability, with knock-on effects for health and daily care access. Food & Disease Risk: South Africa’s FMD vaccination process is under scrutiny as officials warn that weak control could jeopardise the country’s FMD-free status. Migration & Access to Care: Reports of xenophobia and discrimination against migrants highlight barriers to medicine and services, adding strain to already stretched systems.