Gauteng Health Department Partners With Private Labs Amid NHLS Security Breach
- The Gauteng Health Department has outsourced private laboratories to fast-track critical tests and ease the backlog
- The department's decision came after a cyberattack on the National Health Laboratory Services, which compromised its systems
- The department said contingency plans were in place and it had noted an improvement; however, it urged those waiting for results to remain patient
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Zingisa Chirwa is an experienced Briefly News journalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa, who has covered health and current affairs on the radio for over 15 years.
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The Gauteng Health Department is utilising private laboratories to fast-track critical tests to alleviate the delays caused by the recent NHLS security breach.
NHLS cyber attack
The National Health Laboratory Services' external and internal systems went down on the weekend of 20 June 2024 following an attempted ransomware attack by an unidentified agent.
According to SABC News, the department implemented contingency plans to stabilise the system. Spokesperson Motalatale Modiba told the public broadcaster that they had noted an improvement in the department’s ability to cope with the demand; however, he urged citizens waiting for laboratory results to remain patient.
The public health sector uses the NHLS network of laboratories for testing, where samples of body fluids, tissue and cells are analysed to help detect, diagnose and treat diseases like AIDS and tuberculosis.
Mzansi weighs in
Many South Africans were unsettled by the security breach, and some questioned the functionality of the department’s ICT security framework.
@PearlMashoene wondered:
“Like, why would you hack the National Health Laboratory Services and compromise so many lives?! Make it make sense!”
@AyandaMaqhoboza said:
“The country needs to prepare well for this kind of thing. Our education system must produce software engineers who can specialise in this kind of thing. National Health Laboratory Services was hacked on June 21st. To this day, it's still not back online. Unacceptable!”
@AlexvandeHeever added:
“Check out the ongoing disaster at the National Health Laboratory Services. Lab test results cannot be processed in the public sector at the moment because of hackers and a very weak ICT security framework.”
@enhlebheng95852 commented:
“Most tests are rejected, no progress; it's a disaster.”
@Nikkhiel3 asked:
“National Health Laboratory Services under cyber attack? What's being done to fix this problem? We are waiting for our results, but there is no access because the systems went down.”
Customers blast FNB for communication breakdown during service outage
Briefly News previously reported that FNB clients were irritated by the bank's lack of communication after a couple of hours of outage.
FNB clients on social media expressed frustration with the inability to make transactions using the bank’s speed points and virtual cards.
The bank reportedly resolved the malfunction; however, netizens were frustrated by the bank's alleged silence on the issue.
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Source: Briefly News
