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News Update
Public-private collaboration vital, HASA conference hears
SA's healthcare requires a whole system overhaul, experts at the recent Hospital Association of SA (HASA) conference agreed, offering a range of practical solutions,...
Mpox case reported in Cape Town
South Africa’s 25th laboratory-confirmed case of mpox has been reported in Cape Town, where a 38-year-old man is in a stable condition after a...
Another Valproate alert over risks of children’s disorders
British medical authorities have issued further warnings for valproate use by men, after a retrospective observational study indicated a possible association between use around...
Aviation doctor probed in fraud scandal
More than 100 pilots and aviation staff will have to redo their medical examinations within the next two weeks because a designated aviation medical...
Minister to tackle SA’s critical vet shortage
The country’s drastic shortage of veterinarians is to be taken up by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen, who will be meeting agriculture officials and others...
Pesticides may have a role in Gauteng ‘food poisonings’
The surge in food poisoning among Gauteng children – more than 200 cases this year, with 10 of them fatal – could have been...
Health union's appeal bid dismissed by ConCourt
The Constitutional Court has dismissed the application by the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union (Haitu) for leave to appeal the Labour Court’s decision...
Aspen urges co-operation for local production of mpox vaccines
With Africa under immense pressure to curb an outbreak of the mpox, Aspen Pharmacare is “in talks” with partners to manufacture vaccines at its...
Lilly signs deal for RA drug production in Africa
Egypt’s Eva Pharma has inked a licensing deal with Eli Lilly to manufacture the latter’s rheumatoid arthritis treatment Olumiant and eventually supply the drug in 49...
WHO issues guidance to limit antibiotic-makers’ pollution
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidance on what it calls an “important but neglected challenge” in efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance...
US boosts allowance for Japanese ADHD drug to alleviate shortage
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has increased the production limit for Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ ADHD drug Vyvanse and its generic versions by about 24%...
Major WHO review finds no link between phones and brain cancer
A WHO-commissioned review of all available published evidence worldwide has concluded that there is no connection between mobile phone use and an increased risk...
Cleared doctor back on track to reclaim his private hospital
Relieved Eastern Cape doctor Chwayita Yako, previously accused of theft and fraud, was exonerated last week when the Easern Cape High Court (Mthatha) set...
CMS urged to clarify cover for pricey medicines
The Council for Medical Schemes is “failing South African patients” and needs to clarify the extent to which schemes are obliged to cover costly...
HASA urges mandatory medical aid enrolment to reduce public load
The Hospital Association of SA (Hasa) has predicted a massive 50% rise in spending on people reliant on public healthcare, and called for the...
SIU reveals businessman as 'critical player' in R600m PPE tender scandal
There has been slow progress in the Special Investigating Unit’s attempts to recover R390m from businessman Robert Gumede and his companies, linked to a...
Africa still awaiting mpox jabs from the West, despite promises
Despite the thousands of mpox doses promised to Africa, no vaccines have yet been delivered to any of the countries affected by the outbreak...
Health DG gets court order to prevent Hawks accessing phone
Health Department Director-General Dr Sandile Buthelezi was granted a court order preventing the Hawks from accessing his “personal” cellphone – after its seizure in...
Digital Vibes case postponed as accused seeks pension to pay lawyers
The corruption trial of Popo Maja, former director of communications in the national Health Department who was implicated in the Digital Vibes case, was...
FDA urged to expedite hair straightener ban
The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has been asked why it has twice delayed its target date to propose a ban on hair...
Food poisoning kills 10 Gauteng children this year
Out of the more than 200 food poisoning cases affecting children in Gauteng since February, 10 have resulted in death – the latest fatalities...
Frere Hospital denies dumping medical waste
The Eastern Cape Department of Health has categorically denied allegations that Frere Hospital was involved in the illegal dumping of medical waste, after circulation...
Health compact signed minus key stakeholders
Deputy President Paul Mashatile signed the Presidential health compact last week despite the boycott by various medical and business organisations, and without acknowledging the...
SA’s under-fives hungry, neglected and dying – Child Gauge 2024
One out of every 25 babies born in South Africa dies before turning five, with most under-fives facing hunger, neglect and developmental issues, according...
Tembisa corruption losses balloon to R3bn
Taxpayer losses to Tembisa Hospital corruption networks, first identified by whistle-blower Babita Deokaran, have risen to as much as R3bn, says the Special Investigating...
GP sentenced for SARS tax evasion
A Kimberley doctor has been found guilty of eight counts of failing to submit income tax returns and 42 counts of failing to submit...
Germany, Japan, offer Africa mpox vaccine doses
Germany is to donate 100 000 mpox vaccine doses from its military stocks to help contain the outbreak in Africa, its government announced this...
Armed gang storms clinic for fifth time
A clinic in Dispatch was attacked yet again last week, the fifth time in 12 months, with patients being robbed of their phones and...
Free State Health MEC promises support for foreign-trained medics
Free State Health MEC Viceroy Mahlatsi has committed to “facilitating ministerial engagements with the HPCSA, Pharmacy Council and SANC to find a way of...
Three major hospital projects in pipeline for Cape Town
The Western Cape Department of Health says it is going full steam ahead with its plans for new facilities and three major projects that...
NHLS back on track after cyber hack
South Africa’s 230 health laboratories, which service 85% of the population, are back in action and all systems fully restored after the disruption and...
Gauteng Health in trouble for unpaid R1bn owed to suppliers
The Gauteng Department of Health is in hot water again, this time after a summons by the provincial Health Portfolio Committee to explain why...
Polokwane Hospital X-ray unit blows up
A massive blast in the X-ray department at Polokwane Hospital in Limpopo last week injured three people and abruptly curtailed services, with patients having...
Lung cancer vaccine trial launches in UK
A new vaccine that fights lung cancer is being tested for the first time on patients in the UK, with researchers saying it could...
UK launches global-first study to ID stem cell super donors
Britain has just launched a world-first study to identify people who could be stem cell super donors, with scientists planning to analyse DNA samples...
UK doctors’ union calls for curb on vapes
The British Medical Association is urging Ministers to introduce legislation to curb the “epidemic” of vaping in the UK, saying the devices should only...
Measles closes Northern Cape schools
Four schools were closed in the Northern Cape on Thursday last week after an outbreak of measles, with cases having rapidly escalated from 16...
Outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease in Free State
A small suspected outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (a strain of the Coxsackie virus) has been confirmed by the provincial Health Department at...
New Wits burns unit opens at Bara
Wits University has opened its new Roy McAlpine Burns Unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital – which has the only public burns...
Maye Musk scholarship for Master's nutrition students at UFS
Elon Musk’s mother, Dr Maye Musk, has founded a scholarship to support serving students who intend to study nutrition or dietetics at the University...