FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
Mkhize gives first outline of future NHI's shape
July 17th, 2019 The 'reorganisation' of the national Health Department, an 'embryo' unit to build capacity, and the 'backbone' of a national electronic patient record system that will contain the health details of all citizens by February 2020. These are the...
HPCSA challenged on disclosure of clinical information to medical schemes
July 17th, 2019 The Health Professions Council of SA recently released a guide to address the pressure that practitioners regularly face from medical aid schemes, which states that doctors are obligated to provide a patient's clinical information upon request from...
The health conditions most likely to be misdiagnosed
July 17th, 2019 A large analysis of US claims data has identified three major disease categories – vascular events, infections and cancers – that account for nearly three-fourths of all serious harms from diagnostic errors. Failures of clinical judgement were...WEEKLY ROUNDUP
First Ebola patient reported in city of Goma dies
The first patient to be diagnosed with Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) city of Goma has died, the governor of North Kivu... July 17th, 2019RK Khan board pushback over hospital CEO's redeployment
The RK Khan Hospital board has hit back at what it described as a “surprise, overnight decision” by KwaZulu-Natal Health to redeploy the... July 17th, 2019Syphilis more common than new HIV infections in some European countries
Syphilis is now more common in some European countries than new instances of HIV following a 70% rise in cases over the past decade. A DW report says... July 17th, 20193rd i-Base HIV drug pipeline review for treatment optimisation
For the third year, i-Base has produced the HIV pipeline review as part of our Fit for Purpose report on antiretroviral treatment... July 17th, 2019Another delay in formal recognition of traditional healers
Traditional healers face a new delay in their long-running campaign to be formally recognised as health practitioners, says a Sunday Times... July 17th, 2019Two 'missing' state nurses found in a sangoma training camp
Two state nurses who went missing six months ago have been found at a sangoma training camp in New Brighton, reports The Herald. The discovery was... July 17th, 2019Shortage of vaccines in Kenya puts newborns at risk
The health and lives of newborn babies in Kenya are under threat due to a shortage of vaccines. Polity reports that several thousand babies born on... July 17th, 2019DIETETICS
Even for the slim, cutting around 300 calories daily improves risk markers
Data from a two-year Duke Health trial suggests when it comes to cutting your risk for killer ailments such as diabetes and heart disease, there's... July 17th, 2019ENDOCRINOLOGY
Antidepressants reduce death rates by over a third in patients with diabetes
Antidepressants may reduce deaths by more than a third in patients with diabetes and depression, according to a Taiwanese study. People with... July 17th, 2019HIV/AIDS
Benefits of ART in HIV positive persons with low pre-treatment viral load
Starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significant benefits and entails few risks for individuals with a low pre-treatment viral load, according... July 17th, 2019Updated version of tenofovir linked with kidney-related safety benefits
A large pooled analysis of data from more than two dozen studies has found that Gilead Sciences’ updated version of tenofovir is associated with... July 17th, 2019Compassionate care helps adults with HIV remain on treatment longer
Adults with HIV are more likely to continue life-saving treatments if their primary health care providers show respect, unconditional empathy without... July 17th, 2019HOSPITAL MEDICINE
Surgical gowns retain C difficile even after disinfectant use
Research has shown how surgical gowns used in hospitals are retaining superbug Clostridium difficile (C difficile), even after being treated with the...
July 17th, 2019
Poor doctor-nurse communication behind most catheter use problems
Indwelling devices like catheters cause roughly 25% of hospital infections, but ongoing efforts to reduce catheter use and misuse haven't succeeded... July 17th, 2019NEUROLOGY
UTIs strongly associated with ischaemic stroke risk — large analysis
Every infection type was linked with an increased likelihood of ischaemic stroke, with the strongest link seen with urinary tract infection (UTI),...
July 17th, 2019
ONCOLOGY
Bladder cancer destroyed by strain of common cold virus — small UK study
A strain of the common cold virus has been found to potentially target, infect and destroy cancer cells in the majority of 15 patients with bladder...
July 17th, 2019
PHARMACOLOGY
Cannabis may effectively bring pain relief and treat insomnia
A study has shown how cannabis could be an effective treatment option for both pain relief and insomnia, for those looking to avoid prescription and... July 17th, 2019Novel therapy for acute migraine awaits FDA approval
A drug belonging to a new generation of acute migraine headache treatments was found to eliminate pain and reduce bothersome symptoms for people with... July 17th, 2019PSYCHIATRY
Psychiatric diagnoses 'scientifically worthless'
A study has concluded that psychiatric diagnoses are scientifically worthless as tools to identify discrete mental health disorders. The study, led...
July 17th, 2019
PULMONOLOGY
Inhaled steroids reduce lung cancer risk in COPD patients
The use of inhaled steroids reduces the risk of developing lung cancer in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a study suggests.... July 17th, 2019SLEEP MEDICINE
Disrupted sleep in 50s and 60s linked to increased risk of Alzheimer’s
People who report a declining quality of sleep as they age from their 50s to their 60s have more protein tangles in their brain, putting them at...
July 17th, 2019