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Weekly Roundup
SA kids score Cs and Ds in health report card
South African kids scored a measly C and D in physical activity and obesity in the recently released 2016 Healthy Active Kids South Africa...
KZN Health trains traditional healers as Aids counsellors
Traditional healers have been trained by the KwaZulu-Natal Health to counsel, examine and test their patients impacted by HIV/Aids and TB.
Health-e News reports that this is...
KZN sub-acute and rehabilitative care hospital opened
The purpose-built Medicross Highway Sub-acute and Rehabilitation Hospital has been officially opened in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal by Dr Richard Friedland, CEO of Netcare.
The new facility...
Life Esidimeni inquiry not necessary – Zuma
President Jacob Zuma says he will not appoint a commission of inquiry into the deaths of more than 100 psychiatric patients at Life Esidimeni...
CDC reports a rise in multidrug-resistant fungus
The number of cases of an emerging and often multidrug-resistant fungus in the US has grown from seven to 122 over the past nine...
Despite armed police escorts, CTN emergency response remains dangerous
When an emergency call comes in from one of South Africa’s most crime-ridden neighbourhoods, ambulances do not rush straight to the scene but go...
SA surgeons perform another successful penis transplant
A team from Stellenbosch University (SU) and the Tygerberg Academic Hospital recently performed a second penis transplant, making it the first medical centre in...
WHO may roll-out untested Ebola vaccine in the DRC
An unlicensed Ebola vaccine could soon be tested in a remote region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) hit by an outbreak...
Africa framework for intra-governmental action to end Aids, TB and malaria
Experts working in Aids, TB and malaria have adopted the AIDS Watch Africa Strategic Framework, which will further strengthen AIDS Watch Africa as the heads...
Motsoaledi denies ‘sell out’ of NHI over medical schemes
SA's Department of Health has done an apparent U-turn on its plan to scrap medical aid schemes, saying they should work with the state...
SA malaria outbreak caused by perfect storm of events
The shock malaria outbreak in Limpopo and Mpumalanga was caused by a series of badly timed events: Unpredictable weather, international drug shortages, expired local medi...
NAPM rebrands, promises affordable 'biosimilars'
The expiry of patent protection on many biological medicines has paved the way for more affordable 'biosimilars', said the CEO of Generic and Biosimilar Medicine...
Pharmacists to have key role in NHI – PSSA
Pharmacists are gearing up to play a key role under National Heath Insurance (NHI) when South Africa enters the second phase of implementing the...
BMA 'call for action' over NHS
The British Medical Association has issued a 'call for action', warning that the National Health Service is at breaking point.
BMA claims the NHS is at "breaking...
Kuruman teenagers born with HIV default on treatment
A high number of teenagers born with HIV are defaulting on treatment, according to the National Association of People Living with HIV/Aids operating in Kuruman...
WHO confirms second Ebola case in DRC
The World Health Organisation says a second case of Ebola has been confirmed by laboratory testing amid an outbreak in a remote corner of...
Spike in number of malaria cases in SA
The number of malaria cases has increased over the past few weeks. The Times reports that according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases:...
Woman sent home from clinic gives birth in the street
A pregnant woman, who was sent home after arriving at her local Limpopo clinic with severe abdominal pains, gave birth to a healthy baby girl...
PEPFAR extends aid for SA's fight against HIV/Aids and TB
The US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief’s (PEPFAR) has approved millions in support of SA’s HIV/Aids and TB programmes through to September 2018.
South...
South Africans slowly changing to generics
South Africans often prefer branded medicine over generics, but the latest research from Mediscor shows that this is slowly changing, albeit not quickly enough....
Fashion models in France have to prove they are healthy
Fashion models in France will need to provide medical certificates proving they are healthy in order to work, after a new law was introduced...
Brain drain continues despite conventions on medical poaching
Despite the existence of conventions prohibiting the poaching of medical practitioners from struggling African countries, the continent continues to lose much needed medical doctors, Health...
First Gamma Knife Icon Centre established in southern Africa
In a first for southern Africa, the Leksell Gamma Knife Icon, used in the treatment of selected brain tumours, head and neck tumours, vascular...
Private hyperbaric oxygen therapy facility now in Western Cape
A hyperbaric oxygen therapy service, the only such private facility in the Western Cape, was recently opened at the Tokai Medicross and is available...
Digestive diseases and liver treatment centre for Gauteng
A digestive diseases and liver health centre offering a comprehensive multi-disciplinary and holistic approach for the early detection, diagnosis and treatment of complex gastrointestinal,...
SA pharmacy advisory board to drive change
A new Pharmacy Advisory Board has been constituted to seek solutions to the challenges facing the SA pharmacy sector.
The multi-stakeholder Pharmacy Advisory Board, which held...
Online shopping for cannabidiol sparks brain tumour research
In response to a growing number of parents buying it online and administering it to their children, British scientists are investigating whether a compound found...
Ebola ruled out in mysterious Liberian deaths
UN officials say at least 11 people have died from a mysterious illness in Liberia, and tests have been negative for the Ebola virus.
News24...
FDA approves Stivarga for liver cancer
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Bayer AG's drug Stivarga to treat liver cancer, the first such approval in nearly a decade.
Reuters...
Doctors reiterate that HPV vaccines are safe
Global medical studies show that both the registered human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines are safe, but a network of 12,000 multinational families say they...
Pretoria gynaecologist wounded in shopping centre robbery
Police are searching for three armed men who shot and wounded a well-known Pretoria gynaecologist during a robbery at a shopping centre.
Eyewitness News reports...
Rooibos research gets funding boost
The SA Rooibos Council (SARC) will invest a further R3m this year to commission additional research into rooibos’ health-enhancing properties.
Already known for its myriad...
HPCSA to begin consultation on scope of practice of psychologists
The Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA) is poised to begin public consultation on a contentious set of regulations aimed at defining the scope...
Vending machines to sell HIV testing kits
China is piloting the use of vending machines that sell HIV testing kits on university campuses. According to a report on the NPR site,...
Noakes continues war of words against sceptical academics
After winning his misconduct case‚ low-carbohydrate high-fat advocate Professor Tim Noakes is putting in the boot to academics whose work was used against him.,...
Patients must be proactive in demanding generic medicines – NAPM
Patients should be more proactive in demanding generic medicines from pharmacists, says the National Association of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers (NAPM), which estimates that every 1%...
Public health inspection report makes for 'grim reading'
An inspection report of over 600 public health facilities makes grim reading – both because many facilities have deep-rooted problems and because the report...
First malaria vaccine to be piloted in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi
Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will pilot the world's first malaria vaccine from 2018, offering it for babies and children in high-risk areas as part...
Measles' outbreaks in Europe linked to gaps in vaccination coverage
Gaps in vaccination coverage against measles have led to several outbreaks of the highly-contagious disease in Europe in the past year, with both children...
Counselling for nurses no longer provided in SA public health
Nurses in the public health sector, faced with extreme situations beyond their control every day, are in need of counselling and debriefing sessions that...