Posts tagged with 'Healthcare'

 

Pasiënte mag toilet by die Frere-hospitaal in Oos-Londen net drie keer per dag gebruik

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Die Oos-Kaapse gesondheidsdepartement ondersoek aantygings van pasiënte wat sê hulle mag die toilet by die Frere-hospitaal in Oos-Londen net drie keer per dag gebruik.

As hulle die toilet buite die geskeduleerde toilet-tye ná elke ete wil gebruik, sal dit sonder die hulp van verpleegsters wees.

Sinethemba Joya (29), ’n pasiënt van Kaapstad wat in die hospitaal opgeneem is met twee gebreekte bene ná ’n taxi-ongeluk, het onlangs haar misnoeë oor dié reëling op sosiale media uitgespreek.

Uit haar plasing blyk dit dat sy die 04:00-toilet-tyd gemis het. Teen 09:00 kon sy nie langer uithou nie en het noodgedwonge haar kosblik gebruik om in te urineer.

Joya het verder beweer bejaarde pasiënte wat hul beddens natmaak, moet as straf die hele dag lank in die nat bed en hul eie urine lê.

Jane Cowley, DA-woordvoerder oor gesondheid, het in reaksie op Joya se inskrywing gesê die oënskynlike verontagsaming van pasiënte en hul waardigheid is skokkend.
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Ageing health infrastructure in South-Africa must receive urgent attention

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Deputy President David Mabuza has announced that government will prioritise the upgrading and maintenance of health infrastructure in an effort to deal with the challenge of ageing and dilapidated infrastructure in public health facilities.

Mabuza made the remark while highlighting the outcomes of the two-day Presidential Health Summit held in Boksburg.

During the summit, Mabuza said, it was agreed that in the context of fiscal constraints, provinces will be expected to prioritise their financial resource allocations in a manner that ensures that the delivery of health care is not compromised.

“More importantly, this summit pointed out that we need to develop a sustainable financing model for our health system. We will commence with this task immediately.

“National Treasury will be seized with this task to ensure that this model is finalised within a short space of time.

“As we lay a solid foundation for the implementation of the NHI, government wi
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Clinic in Port Elizabeth temporary shutdown due to gang violence

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A group of residents in Helenvale, Port Elizabeth, shut down their local clinic on Wednesday fearing for the safety of staff and patients after ongoing gang activity in the area.

Community members say Helenvale Clinic has been repeatedly targeted by criminals, who recently stole the air-conditioner.

As a result, the Helenvale Clinic committee decided to temporarily close the clinic and move equipment to Malabar Clinic, about three kilometres away.

“We had to take this decision after recent events that involved ongoing serious crime and shootings around the clinic,” said a member of the Helenvale Clinic committee, who asked not to be named for fear of being targeted. She said staff morale is low and that the six nurses who work at the clinic are overburdened and fearful.

“We were given permission by the Eastern Cape Health Department to use the premises at Malabar Clinic as a temporary measure,” she said.

On Wednesday evening the Department of Hea
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4 000 tuberkulose-pasiënte landwyd is verlore in die Noord-Kaapse departement van gesondheid se inligtingstelsel

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Die inligting van meer as 4 000 tuberkulose-pasiënte uit 80 000 gevalle landwyd het in die Noord-Kaapse departement van gesondheid se inligtingstelsel “verlore” gegaan.

Andrew Louw, Noord-Kaapse DA-leier, sê Fufe Makatong, LUR vir gesondheid, moet dringend ’n aksieplan opstel om dié pasiënte op te spoor.

Die DA sê sy inligting kom uit die departement se eerste kwartaalverslag vir die 2018-’19-boekjaar.

“Daar is meer as 8 000 verlore pasiënte in Suid-Afrika en 4 189 van hulle is in die Noord-Kaap. Die Frances Baard-distrik, waarbinne Kimberley val, het 2 364 pasiënte, sê Louw.

“Dié pasiënte het óf hul behandeling onderbreek óf nooit daarmee begin nie óf hulle weet nie dat die ernstige siekte by hulle gediagnoseer is nie. Hulle stel daarom ook ander se lewens in gevaar.”

Volgens Louw is die tuberkulose-taakspanne se werksaamhede nie bestendig nie. Daar is ook nie ’n begroting vir ’n bewusmakingsveldtog nie.

“Personeel wo
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High infant death rate in dysfunctional Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein

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The infant mortality rate at the Pelonomi Regional Hospital in Bloemfontein, Free State, is almost three times higher than the national average – and many of these deaths could have been avoided.

This is according to Mariette Pittaway, DA MPL in the Free State, who said the hospital’s maternity ward had been plagued by severe staff shortages, lack of equipment and access to theatres.

Many deaths could have been avoided

In its Midyear Population Estimates report Stats SA recorded the national infant mortality rate to be 36.4 deaths per 1 000 live births (3.6%). During a recent Democratic Alliance oversight inspection of the Pelonomi Regional Hospital, it was revealed that its infant mortality rate has skyrocketed from 7.3% in 2017 to 11.2% in 2018.

“The theatres in this ward have been under renovation since 2015, and we could not get any indication from the hospital management when the theatres would again be operational,” said Pittaway.

“The ma
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Omstrede psigiatriese hospitaal in Kimberley wat belastingbetaler R2 miljard gekos het, steeds in onbruik

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Meer as 12 jaar nadat bouwerk aan Kimberley se omstrede psigiatriese hospitaal begin het en nadat meer as R2 miljard reeds aan die projek bestee is, staan die hospitaal steeds leeg en ongebruik.

Andrew Louw, die DA se provinsiale leier en premierskandidaat in die Noord-Kaap, het Woensdag op Wêreldgeestesgesondheidsdag die terrein saam met ’n DA-span besoek. Hy is deur onder andere Makashule Gana, DA-LP en DA-woordvoerder vir basiese dienste, en Harold McGluwa, die DA se provinsiale voorsitter in die Noord-Kaap en hoofsweep in die provinsiale koukus, vergesel.

Die gebou het met die besoek leeg gestaan en daar was geen pasiënte, dokters of verpleegsters in sig nie, slegs bouwerkers en veiligheidswagte. Die tuin het onversorg voorgekom en onkruid groei welig in die beddings.

Die DA het glo vroeër versoek dat dr. Dion Thys, hoof van die Noord-Kaapse gesondheidsdepartement, die oorsigbesoek meemaak, maar hy het nie opgedaag nie.

Clement Kaotsane, assistentd
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Staatshospitale in SA bloei weens tekort aan medici

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Daar is meer as 4 000 vakatures by Gautengse staatshospitale in kritiek belangrike poste soos dié van spesialiste, aptekers, dokters en verpleegkundiges.

Dié situasie het aan die lig gekom in die jaarverslag van die Gautengse departement van gesondheid wat onlangs in die provinsiale raad ter tafel gelê is, sê Jack Bloom, die DA se woordvoerder oor gesondheid.

Uit dié verslag blyk dit daar is net 40 316 opgeleide personeellede in diens uit die 44 558 goedgekeurde poste, wat op ’n tekort van 4 242 mense in kritiek belangrike poste dui.

Bloom sê die situasie word vererger omdat hospitale selfs met die goedgekeurde getal poste sukkel om oor die weg te kom, want daar is net al hoe meer pasiënte.

Die party doen ’n beroep op die departement om kritieke poste te vul wat dringend nodig is om die onderliggende bestuurs- en begrotingsprobleme op te los.

Hy is veral bekommerd oor die hoë omset van aptekers (54%), dokters (46%) en spesialiste (18%).

Hy
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Tekort aan 45 000 verpleërs in Suid-Afrika

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Die 2 200 nuwe aanstellings van mediese personeel wat belowe is deur pres. Cyril Ramaphosa is welkom, maar ’n druppel aan die emmer in die lig van die omvang van die probleme in die departement van gesondheid.

Volgens die verpleegvakbond Denosa is daar net wat verpleërs betref ’n tekort aan 45 000 poste in die land.

“Dit (die aankondiging) is welkome verligting, maar dit gaan definitief nie effektief wees in ag genome die getal vakatures nie,” sê Sibongiseni Delihlazo, Denosa-woordvoerder.

“Navorsing toon dat daar ’n tekort van 45 000 verpleërs oor die land heen is, so jy kan jouself net indink watter impak dit maar sal hê as dié getal poste oor die land versprei word.”

Ramaphosa het in die aankondiging van sy stimuluspakket vir Suid-Afrika se ekonomie gesê dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, minister van gesondheid, sal onmiddellik 2 200 mediese poste – veral van verpleegkundiges – vul.

Geld word ook onmiddellik beskikbaar gestel om beddens en
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Goedkoop generiese antiretrovirale middels wat deur die staat versprei word veroorsaak kommerwekkende newe-effekte

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Een van die generiese antiretrovirale middels (ARM’s) wat deur Sonke Pharmaceuticals namens die staat versprei word, veroorsaak kommerwekkende newe-effekte.

Só sê Sello Mokhalipi, voorsitter van die Positive Action Campaign (PAC) in die Vrystaat, ná ’n besoek Donderdagoggend aan die Bloemspruit-kliniek buite Bloemfontein.

Tans gebruik dié pasiënte Abacavir vir babas. Dit help nie. Inteendeel, dit veroorsaak die ontwikkeling van weerstandigheid by MIV-pasiënte.

Die PAC het onderhoude met verskeie pasiënte gevoer en ook met die fakulteitsbestuurder vergader.

Sonke Atenef-tablette veroorsaak na bewering die ontwikkeling van weerstandigheid teen ARM’s, asook vergrote borste en voortdurende menstruasie by vroue.

“Die newe-effekte word deur goedkoop medikasie van ’n maatskappy met die naam ‘Sonke’ veroorsaak,” sê Mokhalipi.

Pasiënte wat ARM’s vir die eerste keer neem en wat nie nierprobleme het nie, word Sonke Atenef toegedien om
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Security guards denied woman entry at Steve Biko Academic Hospital to see dying mom

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Health authorities were on Tuesday scrambling for explanations on why security guards denied a woman entry to Steve Biko Academic Hospital to say goodbye to her dying mother.

All the provincial Department of Health could say was that it would try to ascertain the facts around the allegations made by Laetitia Musiker.

The woman wept uncontrollably as she spoke of her battle to gain access to the hospital, having earlier been phoned and asked to rush there as her mother was dying.

On arrival, Musiker alleged security guards insisted that she joined the queue of visitors. While she battled to convince the security personnel to allow her in, her 84-year-old mother, Joanna Fraetas, died.

“I had just wanted to thank her for everything and that I loved her because she deserved to hear that in her last moments, but I was denied that chance,” said a sobbing Musiker.

She told the Pretoria News she received a call from the hospital at about 10am. Medical staff
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Final year medical student informed that SA’s Department of Health has no placement for her, this in a 3rd world country complaining of its lack of medical doctors

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As a final year medical student who has completed her studies with an aggregate above 70%, ….. has just been informed that the Department of Health has no placement for me, and a multitude (almost 10% of all MBChB graduates of the class of 2017) to do my obligatory internship in 2018.  I am thus officially an unemployed medical doctor in a 3rd world country continuously complaining of its lack in medical doctors.

I am further one of the few applicants who initially ONLY applied for non-restricted / RURAL placement in response to the ministers comment in the previous year, that medical students refuse to work outside the larger metropolitan areas.

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Mediese selfbetalings styg met skokkende 13,4%

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Die brood het gekrimp, maar ons betaal nou meer daarvoor.

Só het ’n ekonoom die verhoging van meer as 13% in selfbetalings deur mediesefondslede die afgelope jaar beskryf.

Verbruikers wat elke jaar swaar trek aan die premies vir hul mediese fondse het boonop nog verlede jaar R29,7 miljard uit hul eie sak opgedok.

Dit is 13,4%, of ’n hele R2,5 miljard, meer as die vorige jaar, toon die jongste jaarverslag van die Raad op Mediese Skemas (RMS).

Boonop word dié syfer onderskat omdat dit net bereken word op die rekeninge wat lede indien waarvoor hulle self betaal het.

Die selfbetalings is die bedrae waarvoor geëis is wat fondse nie betaal nie.

“Dit kan ’n onderskatting wees van die werklike bedrag wat self betaal word omdat lede nie altyd hul eise aan hul fondse stuur wanneer hul voordele opgedroog het nie,” het die RMS in die verslag gesê.

Johann van Tonder, ’n ekonoom en navorser vir Momentum, het gesê mediese inflasie meet nie die styging in bybetali
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Government clampdown on private ambulances looms

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Durban – Stringent regulations would soon be in place to control the private ambulance services industry, and recommendations have already been accepted by the National Health Council.
Some of the recommendations include:

– all private emergency rescue vehicles to be painted in one colour;

– one contact number for all private ambulance services;

– the nearest ambulance responds to the scene; and

– no provincial demarcations for the different private ambulance services.

This is likely to receive resistance from the operators, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said this week.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Motsoaledi said the department was looking at getting rid of untrained operators who had been contributing to the number of patient injury complications as a result of reckless handling of accident victims.

He said some ambulance companies employed unethical practices when arriving at accident scenes.

“We h
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How your medical bills may change under the National Health Insurance

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Many private hospitals will be opening their doors to more patients but does that mean you’ll be stuck at the back of the queue?

The United Kingdom’s universal healthcare system, known as the National Health Service (NHS), had a problem: By the early 2000s, a growing number of elderly patients were waiting up to three years for sight-saving cataract services in the early 2000s.

But the government-funded healthcare scheme didn’t have enough beds. It did, however, have plenty of parking.

“All we needed was a parking lot and a connection to three-phase electricity,” remembers South Africa’s Netcare CEO Richard Friedland.

Netcare entered the UK market fifteen years ago. It operates more than 50 private hospitals in the country, but 43% of its patients come from the NHS through the service’s electronic “choose and book” appointment system: Patients elect where to go for care, and the NHS pays private providers like Netcare a nationally-set rate
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Kundiges in gesondheidsbedryf krap kop oor toename in hospitalisasie

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Kundiges in die gesondheidsbedryf het op die jaarlikse konferensie van die Hospitaalvereniging van Suid-Afrika (Hasa) in Kaapstad hewig van mekaar verskil oor wat die redes vir ‘n skerp toename in die koste van mediese skemas is.

Matthew Prior, hoof van gesondheidsbeleid van Life Healtcare, sê ’n toename in benutting van gesondheidsdienste word die afgelope jare as die hoofoorsaak beskou vir hoë mediese inflasie. Hy sê die premieverhogings wat mediese skemas van hul lede eis, is die werklike maatstaf van mediese inflasie vir verbruikers.

Prior het die debat gelei oor die redes vir die toename in die benutting.

Navorsing deur Medscheme, die administrateur van mediese skemas, toon daar is ’n verband tussen ’n toename in hospitaalbeddens en die skerp styging in hospitalisasie wat verlede jaar ervaar is, sê dr. Jenni Noble, hoofbestuurder van Medscheme.

Die mededingingsowerhede se paneel wat die markondersoek na die gesondheidsbedryf doen, het in 2016
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