Wellness

 

Can this be true ?? Mahlangu, Hlongwa elected to top Gauteng ANC body

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The pair continues to survive politically despite being implicated in deadly mismanagement and graft during their tenures as Gauteng health MECs.

Former Gauteng health MEC Qedani Mahlangu, who presided over the Life Esidimeni tragedy, has been elected into the Gauteng ANC’s provincial executive committee (PEC). She joins the PEC alongside controversial Chief Whip and former Gauteng health MEC Brian Hlongwa.

Mahlangu takes up the position following a two-day elective conference this weekend, radio station 702 reports. The ANC’s PEC is the party’s top body in a province and leads the party provincially.

Looking for a affordable Medical Aid or Hospital Plan, just click here Medical Aid or just send your Name, surname, age and email address to 082 738 5586

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Cipla collaborates with American Cancer Society to increase access to cancer treatment in Africa

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Cipla Ltd, the global pharmaceutical company and owner of Cipla Medpro, South Africa’s third largest pharmaceutical manufacturer, announced a ground-breaking market access agreement with the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Clinton Health Access Imitative (CHAI) and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, to expand access to 16 essential cancer treatment medications, including chemotherapies, into Ethiopia, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Medpro, says that this collaboration will bring life-saving cancer treatment to these sub-Saharan African countries. “The foundation of Cipla is built on its commitment to increase accessibility of affordable and quality medicines to all citizens, so this collaboration is exactly in line with what the company stands for.”

The collaboration is part of a broader effort led by ACS and supported by CHAI to improve the market environment for cancer care in Africa.

Commenting on this partnership, Gary M Reedy, CEO of
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Experts say bird flu not a threat to humans

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The SA Poultry Association has warned all types of chicken are at risk of contracting bird flu, whether free-range, hardbody or conventionally bred live chickens.

Association CEO Kevin Lovell said the sale of live chickens had been banned to curb the spread of the virus. But the ban had nothing to do with preventing illness in humans.

“Though all chickens are susceptible to the disease, the bird flu is an animal health problem and not a human health one. The specific version of the flu discovered in South Africa is not harmful to human health, but poses a great threat to the poultry industry as the ones infected must be culled if they have not died from the disease already,” he said.

Lovell said it was perfectly fine for people to continue buying chicken because regulations had been put in place to oversee the distribution of live chickens, ensuring no infected stock would be on the market.

“The association is working closely with the Department of Agricult
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Resident allegedly turned away from clinic because she’s ‘white’

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The metro has denied claims that Yolanda Ferencak’s children were turned away from Birchleigh North Clinic because they are white.

“The acting manager interviewed all the personnel at Birchleigh North Clinic. They indicated that none of them saw or sent away any patient or referred them to Birchleigh Clinic,” said Themba Gadebe, the metro’s spokesperson.

Ferencak from Terenure told Express that her 25-year-old daughter had taken her 11-month-old boy for immunisation injections at the clinic on July 4 when they were allegedly denied service.

“When my daughter got to the clinic she said a woman told her they did not assist white people and that it was a blacks-only clinic,” said Ferencak.

“Because they needed to go to a clinic, they then went to Birchleigh Clinic where they were assisted and a file for the baby was opened.”

“Racial preference or remarks are not tolerated and serious actions will be taken, should it occur,” said Gadebe.
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Anger over medicines supply scheme

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It is crucial for the Rev Isaac Harley to take his medication daily – it’s a matter of life and death really.

As a diabetic with a hypertensive comorbidity, he depends on his tablets and insulin to maintain his insulin levels and to manage his high blood pressure.

But it’s been one problem after the next, he told The Sunday Independent, since his medical aid recommended he use its pharmacy’s direct service to deliver his chronic medication to his address instead of claiming from a local pharmacy in his neighbourhood, Elsies River in Cape Town.

“On more than one occasion I’ve had to call to find out what had happened to my medicine.

“During one stint I had no medicines for two weeks because of delivery delays and I didn’t have funds so I had to borrow medication from my mother, who is also diabetic, and money from friends to get the other medication privately,” the 48-year-old said.

In a battle spanning several years, the Independent Community
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Africa gets generic version of most effective HIV drug

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NAIROBI – The generic version of the most advanced drug against HIV has been introduced in Kenya, a first in Africa where more than 25m have the disease, the NGO Unitaid said.

The drug, Dolutegravir (DTG) is the anti-retroviral drug of choice for those living with HIV in developed countries, but its high price has put it out of reach for most struggling with the disease in Africa.

“The generic DTG has two advantages: on the one hand, it is very good from a pharmaceutical point of view. On the other hand, it is much cheaper,” said Robert Matiru of Unitaid, which works to reduce the costs of medicines treating Aids, tuberculosis or malaria.

He described the drug as “the most effective HIV treatment currently on the market.”

A box of 30 pills of DTG, which lasts a month, costs between $25 and $50. The generic version only costs $4.

Kenya has already started rolling out the new drug, which will initially be provided for free to 27,000 people living with HIV
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Making vaccines ubiquitous is the key to cracking the cold chain challenge

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Over the years vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives. Infectious diseases like polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), smallpox, mumps, tetanus and rotavirus used to be common around the world. Today vaccines can prevent them.

Despite this, one in five children in the world aren’t fully protected by even the most basic vaccines. In addition, almost 20 million are at risk of contracting preventable diseases because they are under-vaccinated. As a result about 1.5 million children die every year from diseases that can be prevented by vaccination coverage.

One of the main reasons is that there are many rural areas in the world that don’t have reliable power supplies. Vaccines need to be kept at particular temperatures, usually refrigerated, to remain effective. Cold chain conditions aren’t possible without power. A cold chain is a temperature-controlled supply chain that runs fr
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Shortage of National cancer drug may last until October

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A deadly national cancer drug shortage is approaching its third month and patients may have to go without until October – if they can make it.

In February, Nic Basson was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a fast-growing malignant brain tumour, which is located in his brain’s language centre and affects his ability to communicate.

He was prescribed the steroid betanoid to help control inflammation associated with the tumor. But in April, his local pharmacy told his wife, Debra, that it could no longer fill his prescription, sending Debra on a frantic country-wide search for the drug – to no avail.

She explains: “Within 24 hours without betanoid my husband had lost his ability to speak.”

She continues, softly: “He also has memory loss, so even when he can find words, he forgets what he was going to say. He is essentially trapped in his own mind.”

Betanoid is not just used to treat brain tumours, the medicine is also prescribed to patients b
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Hospital cash-back plans crimped by new law

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The demarcation regulations clearly distinguish between medical insurance products and medical aid schemes. For the consumer, this means that while limited gap cover and hospital cash-back plans will still be allowed, primary healthcare insurance policies will no longer be available. All existing policies will need to align with the regulations from 1 January 2018.

Affected markets

These regulations will primarily affect those between 20 and 35 years of age. The annual Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) report shows that children up to the age of 20 usually stay on their parents’ medical aid. Then you see a significant drop in the number of dependents between the ages of 20 to 35, and then the line goes up again. This is a clear indication that the young and healthy are exercising their freedom of choice to not have medical aid cover. This is the group that, until now, has often relied on hospital cash-back plans for catastrophe cover.
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We must ensure new food retail technologies are to better health pathways not barriers

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Imagine a world where smart pantries sense when you are running out of your favourite food and order more of it, without you lifting a finger. Where intelligent robots roam your grocery store, ever at your service. Where dynamic food pricing changes minute-to-minute depending on the weather outside, or what the store down the road is offering.

It may sound like a seismic shift in our food retail world, but these technological frontiers are real and the food sector is gearing up in a big way.

What is less certain is what impact such changes will have on our health. Just as entrepreneurs must capitalise on future trends when building a business, health professionals must delve into the future of retail technology to identify barriers and opportunities for the achievement of good health.

The retail technology frontier is already here

Amazon is one company leading the way with its nascent attempts to revolutionise convenient shopping.

Amazo
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How to choose a medical aid

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Most medical schemes have launched their benefits and contributions for 2017 and it is the time when you should be re-looking at your existing medical aid cover or, if you are wanting to join a scheme, investigating which one suits you best.

The medical aid landscape can be tricky to navigate so it is important to compare options and schemes to ensure you find a medical aid that works for you and your family’s health and is within your budget.

Dr Bobby Ramasia, Principal Executive Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund, helps guide you through choosing the best plan, whether it’s through the open market or through an employer.

If you are already on a medical aid scheme

Before you choose the best medical aid option, you need an idea of what your typical health care costs are.

You should also consider the following for you and your dependants over the past twelve months:

How much you spent on day-to-day healthcare expenses
Where you or an
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You might ask the following question regarding the NHI:- Will I be able to opt out of the NHI?

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In June, the health minister released the long-awaited National Health Insurance Bill. What does it mean to you and your medical aid? We tell you.

1. Will you be able to say “thanks, but no thanks”?

If the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill is passed in its current form, the NHI will be compulsory, regardless of whether you also belong to a private medical aid. So, opting out won’t be possible. The Bill says the NHI, which will be like a big, state-funded medical scheme, will be a free service, but it doesn’t tell us what benefits will be covered, how the scheme will be paid for or how much it will cost.

2. When will the NHI start, and, will it actually happen?

The NHI Bill says the scheme will be implemented in three phases — we’re currently in the second phase (2017 – 2022), during which NHI legislation has to be developed and the NHI fund has to be established. During the last phase, from 2022 – 2026, Cabinet
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Health Market Inquiry:- calls for medical aid schemes to be transparent

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A report by the Health Market Inquiry (HMI) looking into the private healthcare industry has recommended that there be increased transparency and improved competition.

The HMI released its provisional report on Thursday after hearing evidence from a number of stakeholders in the past three years.

The inquiry, which is chaired by the ex-Chief Justice, Sandile Ngcobo, was set up to look into the costs of healthcare and the operations of medical schemes.

“Overall we recommend changes to the way scheme options are structured to increase comparability between schemes and increase competition in that market.

Looking for a affordable Medical Aid or Hospital Plan, just click here Medical Aid or just send your Name, surname, age and email address to 082 738 5586

“A system to increase transparency on health outcomes to allow for value purch
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Departement van Gesondheid het Kuba se hulp ingeroep met NGV

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Aaron Motsoaledi het aangekondig dat die Departement van Gesondheid gebruik gaan maak van die bykans 250 “dokters” wat sopas teruggekeer het vanuit Kuba na hul opleiding aldaar.

Hierdie pas afgestudeerde en nat agter die ore dokters sonder enige ondervinding, gaan nou glo help om die voorgestelde abortiewe Nasionale Gesondheid Versekering van die grond te kry.

Diegene wat nou terug keer moet, twee jaar hul “Ramahosa” diens verrig in staatshospitale, en sal nog ‘n jaar van studie aan ‘n SA universiteit moet doen voordat hulle gemeenskapswerk gaan verrig.

Kenners is skepties oor die “dokters” se opleiding en voel dat hul nie medies gaan studeer het nie maar bloot opleiding ontvang het van Kubaanse dokters. ‘n Paar jaar gelede het die studente die nuus gehaal met hul gefuifery en is sommiges terug gestuur.

Deur: Die Vryburger

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Free Medical-Aid, Hospital and Funeral Plan and Insurance Quotes at www.M
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Non-invasive scan for liver disease

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In the past the only way to measure a liver’s elasticity was through a biopsy, but now, a non-invasive alternative has emerged, whereby elasticity of a patient’s liver can be measured using vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE).

Adopted as a frontline tool for assessing liver fibrosis by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the FibroScan VCTE liver stiffness testing system generates a shear wave that travels through the liver and the speed of which is measured by ultrasonic signals. The stiffness of the liver is proportional to the speed of the shear wave.

Dr Naayil Rajabally, who has been using the system in his rooms since early 2016, says if the test reveals fibrosis, treatment can begin without any need for the liver biopsy in conditions such as viral hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), alcoholic liver disease and cholestatic liver dis
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