HomeWeekly Roundup
Weekly Roundup
DA questions KZN Health MEC's cancer machine 'deal'
Kwa-Zulu Natal Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo is 'creating false hopes for cancer sufferers', has 'consistently lied' and should be fired, says the opposition Democratic Alliance.
The...
Moseneke to lead Life Esidimeni dispute resolution process
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Gauteng Premier David Makhura have reached an agreement with representatives of the families and relatives of the victims...
WHO: Kenya cholera outbreak is a high risk for the region
An outbreak of cholera in Kenya poses a high risk to the region and a moderate threat globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said,...
Exclusion of boys from UK's HPV vaccination programme condemned
A decision in the UK not to vaccinate boys against a cancer-causing sexually transmitted infection has been condemned by health bodies and campaigners, reports...
Lifestyle diseases becoming more common in HIV patients
The incidence of non-communicable diseases is steadily rising, particularly hypertension and diabetes, in patients presenting at infectious disease clinics, reports Health-eNews. Government clinics report...
Hepatology textbook is available free online
Hepatology – A clinical textbook, by authors Stefan Mauss, Thomas Berg, Juergen Rockstroh, Christoph Sarrazin and Heiner Wedemeyer, is an up-to-date source of information...
KZN faces yet another health crisis – now urology
Thousands of vulnerable patients' lives could be at risk as an embattled KwaZulu-Natal Health faces yet another critical shortage, this time of urologists.
The Times reports...
WHO warns oral sex is helping spread of dangerous gonorrhoea
Oral sex is producing dangerous gonorrhoea and a decline in condom use is helping it to spread, BBC News reports the World Health Organisation...
Specialist ATMs to dispense ARVs
Access to treatment will be now be made easier for people living with HIV/Aids as they will now be able to collect their medicine...
DBE's policy on HIV, STIs and TB not going far enough
The Department of Basic Education’s new National Policy on HIV, STIs and TB allows learners access to condoms and contraceptives, a development that has...
Upward trend in longer life expectancy slowing in the UK
A century-long rise in life expectancy in the UK has stalled since 2010 when austerity brought about deep cuts in National Health Service (NHS)...
Cacinogenic substance in flip-flops leads to recall
Primark has recalled thousands of pairs of flip-flops in the UK after discovering they contain a chemical that can cause cancer. The Guardian reports...
A 'lively' year for HIV research so far
This has been a lively year for HIV research says an i-base report. Even though only one new drug was approved (a once-daily version...
KZN oncology remains stalled over machine maintenance non payment
The future maintenance of oncology machines at Addington Hospital hangs in the balance as Tecmed, the firm that was contracted for the job, says...
Hospersa challenges ambulance outsourcing
The outsourcing of North-West ambulance services when there are vacant and funded posts available, has been challenged by the Health and Other Services Personnel Trade...
Opposition KZN hospital oversight visits blocked
The Democratic Alliance – set to do oversight visits at Addington and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal – were denied access to...
Gauteng hospitals suffering essential medicines shortage
Gauteng hospitals and clinics are not receiving all the vital and essential medicines they need, with the problem being particularly bad on the East...
Biogen herbal supplement found to contain anabolic steroids
A Biogen product labelled and sold as a herbal supplement exclusively at Dis-Chem stores has been found by an independent laboratory to contain three...
'Tightening control' has helped Gems' turnaround
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems) has turned its finances around by tightening control of hospital admissions and introducing new rules for public servants...
Officals to inspect 'ill-equipped' Diepsloot rape victim clinics
Gauteng Health officials will inspect two clinics in Diepsloot‚ north of Johannesburg‚ which are apparently ill-equipped to care for rape victims. The Times...
UCT testing robotic suit on spinal injury patients
In the first of its kind in South Africa, the Sports Science Institute of SA and the University of Cape Town are testing a...
High-tech dental training centre to be opened in SA
Liechtenstein-based Ivoclar Vivadent, a manufacturer of dental applications, has partnered with local dental supplier Ivodent to open a hi-tech dental training and continuing education...
Advanced cardiac pacemaker procedure performed for first time in SA
A new approach to implanting a cardiac pacemaker, the ‘His-bundle’ pacing procedure, has been successfully undertaken for the first time in SA at Netcare...
Psychiatric patients at Charlotte Maxeke can’t use ward bathrooms
Poor conditions in the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) psychiatric ward have been criticised by the Democratic Alliance.
Patients at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic...
Film to be made of first heart transplant 50 years on
A film is to be made of Professor Chris Barnard and the world's first heart transplant operation at Groote Schuur Hospital in December 1967, reports...
First SA use of new prolapse repair technique shows 'excellent' results
An enhanced technique in performing minimally invasive pectopexy surgery to correct severe pelvic organ prolapse without having to remove the uterus has shown excellent...
Money-saving day hospitals remain under-utilised
Despite spiralling healthcare costs‚ private medical aid patients are not making significant use of well-equipped day hospitals to reduce the cost of treatment in...
SIU's investigation into Life Esidimeni saga welcomed
President Jacob Zuma has announced that the Special Investigations Unit would investigate Gauteng Health and the 28 NGOs where more than 100 psychiatric patients died, after...
SA how-to guide on community-based HIV prevention services
A 227-page SA guide aimed at helping people to set up community-based HIV prevention services has been launched in Cape Town.
The extensive 227-page guide...
CMS challenged over penalty co-payments and designative service providers
In a battle spanning several years, the Independent Community Pharmacy Association (ICPA) has challenged the Council for Medical Schemes to do away with closed...
Medicinal cannabis now legal in Mexico
The President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto, has officially published a Bill allowing the use of cannabis for health and scientific purposes. The Independent...
Huge skills shortage in SA's pharmaceutical sector
SA’s pharmaceutical industry has a huge skills shortage‚ lacking at least 12‚000 pharmacists in order to meet international standards, according to government evidence before...
Kenya and Unitaid partner in providing DTG to people with HIV
Kenya, in partnership with Unitaid, has become the first African country to introduce the generic version of dolutegravir (DTG) for routine use.
Dolutegravir (DTG) has...
SA state psychiatric structure is failing – SASOP
While almost all the previous Life Esidimeni psychiatric patients have been transferred from the NGOs in Gauteng back into hospital, the psychiatric structure in...
SA's Health Ombud asked to investigate post mortem claims
The national Health Department will request Health Ombudsman Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate allegations that untrained officials have been conducting post mortems since 2006.
News24 reports...
Better protective equipment in the wake of the Ebola crisis
More than 100 ideas and three potential products are the result of a Johns Hopkins University assisted attempt to minimise risk to health workers, following...
Germany looks at fining parents not vaccinating children
Parents in Germany who fail to seek medical advice on vaccinating their children could face fines of up to €2,500, reports BBC News. Health...
MS patient's rare brain infection triggers Roche investigation
A person in Germany treated with a single dose of Roche’s new multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Ocrevus has been diagnosed with an often-deadly brain infection...
US approves Keytruda Tx based on specific genetic traits
Merck & Co's immunotherapy Keytruda has become the first cancer drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration based on a patients' specific genetic...
Cape health workers protest murder of colleague
Protesters gathered outside the Gugulethu Community Health Centre at KTC Day Hospital last week in response to the murder of a health worker, says...