FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
SA-trained surgeon pioneers restoration of arm function in 13 tetraplegics
July 10th, 2019 An Australia team has restored arm function in 13 completely paralysed patients, allowing them to feed themselves, use tools and handle electronic devices, in a ground-breaking procedure led by a SA-trained surgeon, Dr Natasha van Zyl. Individual...
NHCPA's 'racial profiling' action thrown out in 2018, bounces back into CMS's lap
July 10th, 2019 The National Health Care Professionals Association's crusade against 'racial profiling' took a blow when its court application against 19 medical schemes was thrown out of court, in late 2018, because the NHCPA had no legal authority to bring the...WEEKLY ROUNDUP
Death toll in Australia's flu epidemic nears 300
A 13-year-old girl from Melbourne died from the flu late last week, as the death toll nears 300 in Australia. The Guardian reports that Crystal-lee... July 10th, 2019Australia reports considerable reduction in new HIV diagnoses among MSM
In Australia the annual HIV diagnosis rate declined by nearly 25% over five years and hit a low in 2018 not seen since 2001. The shift was driven by... July 10th, 2019Hawks arrest nurse who allegedly demanded a bribe for an abortion
A male nurse has been arrested by members of the Hawks’ Serious Corruption Investigation Unit for corruption at an Mpumalanga clinic, reports The... July 10th, 2019A graphical representation of SA's TB burden
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, South Africa continues to have one of the highest burdens of tuberculosis (TB) in the world.... July 10th, 2019Homeless man who died outside hospital was not denied care – Gauteng Health MEC
Gauteng Health MEC Dr Bandile Masuku says there is no truth to reports that a homeless man was denied access to healthcare services at the Tshwane... July 10th, 2019UK surgery waiting lists soar as consultants work to rule
Waiting lists for hospital operations at the UK’s National Health Service are soaring as growing numbers of senior doctors turn down extra shifts.... July 10th, 2019Shortage of nursing staff makes NHI impossible — AfriForum
The civil rights organisation AfriForum says in a report on the Politicsweb site that the critical and increasing shortage of nursing staff in South... July 10th, 2019Uganda scales up TB preventative treatment plan
Uganda’s Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, has launched a 100-day accelerated scale-up plan for tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT)... July 10th, 2019One of SA's biggest hospices at death's door as fed-up staff quit
One of South Africa’s biggest hospices is in danger of imploding amid a staff exodus and allegations of a “chasm” between top management and... July 10th, 2019UK hospital trust excludes patient who demanded 'a white doctor'
A UK patient who demanded to be seen by a "white doctor" at a National Health Service (NHS) A&E and was turned away, then submitted a formal... July 10th, 2019Gauteng Health promises healthcare and counselling to patient who was tied to bench
The 76-year-old woman who was tied to a bench at Mamelodi Hospital without receiving treatment, will receive healthcare and counselling services at... July 10th, 2019Western Cape Health adds seven new abortion facilities
Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo has authorised the addition of seven new facilities to provide safe, legal termination of pregnancy to... July 10th, 201987 Cuba-trained doctors graduate from WSU
The national Health Department has announced that 87 South African medical doctors who were trained in Cuba had graduated at the Walter Sisulu... July 10th, 2019Health group gifts 100 free surgeries for Mandela Day
Clinix Health Group has announced that they will change the lives of 100 people free of charge, through transformative surgeries, during July and... July 10th, 2019Canadian doctor loses licence for using own sperm to inseminate patients
A Canadian medical regulator has formally revoked the licence of a retired fertility doctor who used his own sperm to inseminate patients, reports... July 10th, 2019BREAKING NEWS
Med students driven to drink by Fees Must Fall protests — study
Fees Must Fall protests drove medical students to drink. Literally. The Times reports that this is according to a study at the University of the Free... July 10th, 2019HIV/AIDS
CRISPR technology used to eliminate HIV virus in living mice
Researchers say they’re one step closer to finding a potential cure for HIV after successfully eliminating the virus in living mice for the first...
July 10th, 2019
Major TB reduction impossible without expansion of ART coverage
Tuberculosis incidence in sub-Saharan Africa is falling too slowly to meet global targets of an 80% reduction by 2030, and where incidence is... July 10th, 2019REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE
Paternal smoking associated with lower total sperm counts
The adverse effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy is well established and associated with several negative neonatal outcomes (such as low birth... July 10th, 2019GUIDELINES
US expands HPV vaccine recommendations
In new human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine developments, a US federal advisory group has expanded recommendations to include men through age 26 and...
July 10th, 2019
ACP guidelines on comprehensive transgender care
For the first time, the American College of Physicians has released a comprehensive guide for transgender care – a significant endorsement of... July 10th, 2019SPORT & EXERCISE MEDICINE
No elevated cardiac risk in ultramarathon runners
Researchers have found no evidence of elevated cardiac risk in runners who completed a 24-hour ultramarathon (24UM), despite the transient elevation...
July 10th, 2019