What the roleplayers had to say…
A collection of quotes on what those involved in the court case and those most likely to be affected have to say.
Anso Thom
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Sharp rise but malaria battle is being won
Despite praising the Department of Health for effectively managing malaria, the South African Health Review today warned that there had been a dramatic rise since 1996.
Medical aid amnesty – deadline looms
On March 31, anyone over the age of 30 years, who joins a medical aid for the first time will be forced to pay a higher subscription fee than the norm. This is in keeping with legislation to encourage all South Africans who can afford medical aid to enroll with such schemes rather than placing the burden on the state to provide for health care. Health-e explores why those in a position to do so, should enrol sooner rather than later...
Solving Gauteng’s hospital problems
Part three of a three-part series
Mention the state of health care in South Africa and people are most likely to relay experiences at government hospitals. Despite the fact that there is much more to health than hospital care, this is the aspect that forms people'€™s opinions when they talk about the state of healthcare in South Africa. Only too aware of this fact is Dr Laetitia Rispel, Chief of Operations in Gauteng, a province whose hospitals serve a large chunk of South Africa'€™s public health patients.
Part three of a three-part series
New staff relieve exhausted cholera health workers
Nurses and environmental health officers from eight provinces have volunteered their services to relieve exhausted health workers in KwaZulu-Natal, who since August have treated over 47 000 cases of cholera.
Finding a painkiller for Gauteng’s hospitals
Part one of a three-part series
Almost two years after Gauteng'€™s Commission of Inquiry into Hospital Care Practices, the provincial Department of Health has been working to implement some of the commission's recommendations -- aimed at ultimately improving hospital services. But senior specialists at the province'€™s two largest hospitals believe that little has changed. In fact they believe certain things are worse. Is this a fair assessment or have things changed, even though progress may be slow. Anso Thom spoke to those at the coal face'€¦
Part one of a three-part series
Doctors forced to play God
Part two of a three-part series
While some improvements have taken place at Johannesburg Hospital, doctors are concerned that they are being forced to play God, while Government refuses to take political responsibility for those decisions involving limiting care.
Part two of a three-part series
Finding a painkiller for Gauteng’s hospitals
Almost two years after Gauteng?s Commission of Inquiry into Hospital Care Practices, the provincial Department of Health has been working to implement some of the commission's recommendations -- aimed at ultimately improving hospital services. But senior specialists at the province?s two largest hospitals believe that little has changed. In fact they believe certain things are worse. Is this a fair assessment or have things changed, even though progress may be slow. Anso Thom spoke to those at the coal face?
The facts on Congo Fever
The Western Cape Health Department confirmed this week that the results of tests conducted on a man suspected of carrying Congo Fever are positive. The  Maitland abbatoir worker is being treated in an isolation ward at Groote  Schuur Hospital. About 90 people, including family, colleagues and health workers have come into contact with him, but what are the facts around this disease?
Oxfam joins the drug war
International poverty relief organisation, Oxfam has thrown its weight behind the South African Government and AIDS activists'€™ attempts to bring affordable life-saving drugs to marginalised South African communities. Launching Oxfam Great Britain'€™s (GB) "Cut the Cost" Campaign in Pretoria, International Director Stewart Wallis, said he hoped Government would "win the court case" against the pharmaceuticals. Anso Thom reports
AIDS Clinic cuts back as patients increase and funds dwindle
Earlier  in the year  Health-e reported that Johannesburg Hospital's AIDS Clinic was unable to cope with the increasing load of patients. Nine months later, after  cutting back on patient numbers the clinic continues to only treat about 70 patients on Tuesdays, while new patients are subjected to waiting lists of up to four months. The  facility is staffed by part-time doctors who do it to ensure that the clinic remains semi-functional.
Child development a priority in Cuba
Since 1959, Cuba has incrementally built a national system of day-care centres and early childhood and pre-school education programmes that today reaches 98,3% of the children in the 0-6 age group. This policy is now being hailed as a true investment in the future of the country's children. Anso Thom reports