FOCUS: THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES
CMS’ precedent setting ruling against Discovery's 'irrational decision-making'
February 19th, 2020 In "a scathing and precedent-setting ruling" against Discovery Health Medical Scheme, the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) may open the door to force schemes to pay for treatment not available in state hospitals, reports Business Day. A more...
COVID-19: SA 'would struggle' because of specialist shortage
February 19th, 2020 Despite only one person in Africa so far diagnosed with Covid-19, experts warn of the potential for imminent havoc on an under-prepared, under-resourced continent, writes MedicalBrief. In South Africa, specifically, the acute shortage of infectious...NEWS RELEASES
Signapps delivers free-to-use care co-ordination platform to SA's public health sector
Patient care within the public healthcare sector received a boost this week with the announcement that local health tech company Healthcent will be...
February 19th, 2020
Constantia Insurance Group appoints a new CEO
Constantia Insurance Group (Constantia) is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Todd as CEO. Todd takes over from Volker von Widdern, who... February 19th, 2020WEEKLY ROUNDUP
Understaffing halves number of Eastern Cape Health ambulances
Staff shortages have forced the Eastern Cape Health to almost halve the number of state ambulances on the road, reports News24. For years, state... February 19th, 2020Because of R500m budget shortfall, Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital still under capacity
Three years after the official opening of the 200-bed Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg, concern has been raised that the... February 19th, 2020Plea for SA to approve generic of costly cancer drug Revlimid
Thank you for the article “Cancer drug delays ‘costing lives’” by Sipokazi Fokazi (2 February) highlighting the plight of cancer patients... February 19th, 2020NHS go ahead for £600,000 gene therapy to treat rare eye disorder
A new gene therapy has been used to treat patients with a rare inherited eye disorder which causes blindness, reports BBC News. It's hoped the... February 19th, 2020Two experimental drugs fail to halt Alzheimer's disease
Experimental drugs from Roche and Eli Lilly failed to halt Alzheimer’s disease in their latest test, the companies said, in a blow to people whose... February 19th, 2020Egyptian doctors' 'White Coat' campaign against FGM
Doctors in Egypt have taken time out of their surgeries for a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of female genital mutilation (FGM) after... February 19th, 2020Pharmacists arrested on stolen meds and illegal clinic charges in Eastern Cape
A government pharmacy assistant and a pharmacist working for a private pharmaceutical company have been arrested for allegedly running an illegal... February 19th, 2020COVID-19 puts global pharmaceutical supply chain in danger
Every day, people rely on Chinese companies for life-saving products. The country is the world’s largest producer of active pharmaceutical... February 19th, 2020Baby born through new egg freezing fertility treatment
A woman who was left infertile by cancer treatment has given birth to a baby after her immature eggs were collected, matured in a lab and frozen for... February 19th, 2020CARDIOVASCULAR
Cocoa may improve walking in people with peripheral artery disease — small study
In a small study of 44 peripheral artery disease patients over age 60, those who drank a beverage containing flavanol-rich cocoa three times a day...
February 19th, 2020
EPIDEMIOLOGY
Improved handwashing at airports could slow spread of viral diseases by 70%
Improving the rate of handwashing at just 10 major airports could significantly slow the spread of a viral disease, researchers estimate, The...
February 19th, 2020
SA's listeriosis outbreak fuelled by HIV and lack of awareness
The listeriosis outbreak that killed more than 200 people in South Africa between 2017 and 2018 was fuelled by HIV and a lack of awareness of the... February 19th, 2020HIV/AIDS
Some HIV drug resistance in PrEP users
A case note review from 56 Dean Street, the largest HIV and STI clinic in Europe, has found that former PrEP users who get HIV are more likely to... February 19th, 20207 graphs that tell SA's HIV story
Over the last decade there have been significant decreases in the rates of new HIV infections, HIV-related deaths, and mother-to-child transmission... February 19th, 2020Breastfeeding and vaccination helps babies born to HIV-positive mothers stay healthy
A South African study has found that, in general, babies born to HIV-positive mothers who are on antiretroviral therapy do not have worse health... February 19th, 2020NEUROLOGY
Strokes: Optimism linked to lower severity, inflammation, and disability
Stroke survivors with high levels of optimism had lower inflammation levels, reduced stroke severity and less physical disability after three...
February 19th, 2020