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A few things the Gauteng health department spent your money on

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A Special Investigation Unit (SIU) report released this week provides new details more than R1.2-billion in graft at the Gauteng health department — from limousine-chauffeured luxury spa treatments to jobs for cash.

The 122-page document, which was released on Thursday, investigates the provincial health department’s conduct between January 2006 and May 2010 — for most of this period, between 2006 and 2009, the ANC’s chief whip in the Gauteng legislature, Brian Hlongwa, was the province’s health MEC.

The report was handed over to former President Jacob Zuma in March 2017, but was never made public.

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Want to know what the investigation says about bribes and what your tax money
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New drug Actemra approved for giant cell arteritis

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This drug has been approved to treat adults who suffer from a type of inflammation of the blood vessels.

The injected drug Actemra (tocilizumab) has previously been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat rheumatoid arthritis in people who haven’t responded to or who cannot tolerated other approved rheumatoid arthritis medication, Health24 reported.

Actemra has now been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with giant cell arteritis, an inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis).

In a media release, the FDA said this form of vasculitis mostly involves blood vessels of the head. Traditional therapy includes large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs called corticosteroids.

To be used ‘with caution’

“We expedited the development and review of this application because [Actemra] fulfils a critical need for patients with this serious disease who had limited treatment options,” said Dr Badrul Chowdhury, director of th
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Medici medical app launches in South Africa

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A medical app, Medici, that is said to be revolutionising the doctor-patient relationship, is now available in South Africa. The next-generation secure messaging app enables users to communicate virtually with medical providers via text, call, or video.

Originally launched in the U.S., the app hosts an array of practitioners including family physicians, paediatricians, dermatologists, dentists, mental health providers, nutritionists, dieticians and even veterinarians, providing a more convenient and modernised method of consultation to suit all healthcare needs.

App users will receive a consultation receipt so that patients are able to claim back from their medical aid provider. Patients who aren’t covered by a medical aid will also benefit from the app as a result of the consultation fee being significantly lower than traditional examinations.

Partnerships

Medici Africa has partnered with Dr Michael Mol and Hello Doctor, already servicing
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Pool-Linked Infection Doubles in 2 Years

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Families seeking to cool off don’t expect to pick up a nasty infection. Yet, outbreaks of a diarrhea-causing parasitic infection have doubled in recent years at swimming pools and water playgrounds in the United States, health officials warn.

At least 32 outbreaks of cryptosporidiosis were reported in 2016, compared with 16 outbreaks in 2014, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Crypto is the most common cause of diarrhea, the CDC says. It spreads when people come in contact with the feces of an infected person.

Otherwise healthy people can be sick for up to three weeks with watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting, the CDC warns. The infection can become life-threatening in people with compromised immune systems.

The cause? Adults or children sick with crypto-caused diarrhea are swimming in public pools despite their illness and further spreading the parasite, said Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s
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WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE LESS THAN 5 DECADES LEFT

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WHITE SOUTH AFRICANS HAVE LESS THAN 5 DECADES LEFT

It is still as if too many people do not realise how immensely important the 2019 election is going to be. It will be our very last opportunity to put the question of self determination on the political agenda. What makes it even more vital that you support Front National with your vote, is the..
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Carl Niehaus: Zuma vs Verwoerd – No, Zuma was not worse than Verwoerd

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No, Zuma was not worse than Verwoerd. But you have the right to say so

For those who do not follow the Afrikaans press, you would have missed an interesting debate between North West University’s (NWU) political science professor, Theo Venter, and the Umkhonto we Sizwe Veterans Association’s (MKMVA) spokesperson, Carl Niehaus. It goes something like this: Venter makes the claim that the Jacob Zuma period in the presidency was..
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Public hearings on bill to allow schools to sell alcohol – Leave the booze alone and educate our children

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Public hearings on bill to allow schools to sell alcohol

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has received 15 submissions on the Education Amendment Bill. The bill is now before the legislature and public hearings will be held. The changes in the bill will mean that schools may permit the sale and consumption of alcohol on public school premises or at a school activity; pupils..
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The Health Department might be sued over proposed NHI changes

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‘I can’t mention who are the parties I am expecting litigation from but I can assure I know who they are. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi is preparing to be taken to court as he continues to propose changes in the healthcare system that could cost medical aid schemes millions.

Motsoaledi introduced the draft Medical Schemes Amendment Bill and National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in Pretoria this week. The new legislation proposes significant changes to the way healthcare is funded and managed, including abolishing co-payments, prescribed minimum benefits and waiting periods for medical aid cover.

Medical aid schemes currently hold about R 60-billion in reserve — an amount almost 10% higher than what is statutorily required, said Motsoaledi speaking at a Pretoria press conference.

“These huge reserves were accumulated partly through high premiums but also by introducing the co-payments such that medical schemes avoid having to pay or even dip into the
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AA warns motorists to brace for possible fuel price hike in July

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AA warns motorists to brace for possible fuel price hike in July

Motorists can brace for another potential petrol price hike next month. The Automobile Association is predicting an increase of about 30 cents per litre. This comes on the back of an 82 cents per litre petrol price hike at the start of June. The association’s Layton Beard explains: “It must be noted that this a..
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South Africa is at the Brink: A country governed by chaos, violence and malice – There is no rule of law

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A New Mfecane: South Africa is at the Brink - a country governed by chaos, violence and malice - There is no rule of law

South Africa is a country governed by chaos, violence and malice. There is no rule of law. Just a bunch of civil societies and weak-wine intellectuals pretending that everything is okay – when it really isn’t. We pretend that things are okay now that Jacob Zuma is no longer the President; that Cyril Ramaphosa will..
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Doctor pleads for heaters for babies, gets departmental threats

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A Limpopo hospital is in such a state of disrepair that a doctor has taken to begging for donations to improve conditions for patients.

This act of caring, however, has led to the department coming down on him with threats of disciplinary action.

Patients at the WF Knobel Hospital in Ga-Matlala outside Polokwane have to brave icy winter nights sleeping in wards with broken windows, leading doctor LE Rambuwane to write a letter urging people to help him raise R15 000 to buy and install 50 heaters in the paediatric wards.

“It is with great sadness and embarrassment having to write this letter to you,” his letter starts.

“I serve in a public hospital, which lacks many things, and with very little support from the powers that be…” it continues, before his plea for the public to donate.

He hoped to raise R15 000, which would be used to buy heaters to be mounted in the paediatric wards. At the moment, he said, the patients were waiting with bated bre
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Nuwe gesondheidsorg in die vooruitsig

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Die afskaffing van bybetalings op mediese dienste is een van die aanbevelings van die voorgestelde wet op mediese dienste.

Volgens Aaron Motsoaelidi, minister van gesondheid, kan slegs 10% van die bevolking private gesondheidsorg bekostig en moet dit onmiddelik reggestel word.

Tussengangers gaan ook afgeskaf word om te verseker dat lede direk gelde aan die mediese fondse betaal. Die rykes moet nou die armes subsidieer en die jonger geslag moet die ouer geslag help en die gesonde mense moet die siek mense subsidieer. Hy sluit af deur te sê dat die oorskakeling ‘n massiewe reorganisasie van die totale gesondheidsorg stelsel  gaan wees, beide privaat en openbaar.

Medici sê mense sterf daagliks in staatshospitale, diefstal van mediese voorraad en toerusting is aan die orde van die dag.  Instandhouding van toerusting bestaan nie en personeel se betalings is agterstallig.  Die totale gesondheidsorg van die staat is in chaos en al uitweg is dat privaat mediese
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Making Sense of Medical Aid Rates and Tariffs

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The medical aid industry is known for confounding consumers with all sorts of complex terms. Among the most confusing of all are references to medical aid, or medical scheme, rates.

Schemes and plans are quoted as covering the costs of in-hospital procedures up to 100%, 200% or 300% of the scheme rate or tariff. You might reasonably think this means that medical aid will cover all healthcare expenses, up to 100% or more. However, this is far from the case.
In this article, we focus on medical aid rates, how they’re calculated and what impact the different tariff options have on medical aid members.
The truth about medical tariffs
Medical expenses in South Africa are not regulated. Doctors, specialists and hospitals can charge what they want, provided the fees are deemed to offer “fair value” to the consumer.
The Department of Health has, however, published a list of recommended tariffs pertaining to specific treatments and procedures conducted i
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Teenager draws gun during fight, Trenance Park library, KZN

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Two teenagers aged 17 and 15 years old were arrested following a fight that broke out at the Trenance Park Library in Verulam, KZN on 19 June 2018.

The RUSA Operations Centre received multiple calls from the public requesting assistance after a firearm was produced during a fight between two parties. Several Reaction Officers were dispatched to the scene and upon arrival were confronted by the group of men and woman who claimed that the 17 year old had on several occasions assaulted their 15 year old relative.

Today the 15 year old again complained to his family that the older boy had once again assaulted him. His relatives proceeded to the library and found the 17 year old in the company of several females. During the confrontation both parties began assaulting each other. It was alleged that during the fight the 17 year old drew a firearm and cocked it.

Members of Reaction Unit South Africa and the Verulam SAPS searched for the firearm however it was not rec
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Brian Hlongwa, ANC chief whip, allegedly implicated in R1.2-billion health graft

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When he was the Gauteng Health MEC, Brian Hlongwa brought the department to its knees, the Special Investigations Unit has found. Limousine-chauffeured luxury spa treatments, blatant graft and jobs for cash are just some of the allegedly corrupt activities the ANC’s Gauteng chief whip Brian Hlongwa and his staff were involved in, according to a..
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