Silent killer

Exclusive focus on Covid-19 has led to the neglect of non-communicable and infectious diseases.

When the Omicron variant of Covid-19 was first detected in South Africa , governments worldwide resorted to a series of measures in their endeavours to contain the virus. And such efforts have been familiar with every successive wave, focusing on one particular issue; protecting the health system from being completely overwhelmed. Apart from the decimation of economies, the lasting impact has been on health. Given the gravity of the crisis, the management of Covid has been of the utmost priority for the authorities. Still, this prioritisation has come at the cost of ignoring non-communicable and other infectious diseases.