Health ministers from across the world will converge on Johannesburg for two days at the end of the month when South Africa hosts the 25th meeting of Health Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). About 115 member states of NAM are expected with national delegations led by health ministers attending.
A collection of quotes on what those involved in the court case and those most likely to be affected have to say.
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...
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.
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.
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'€¦
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.
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 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?
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
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.
"It is deeply ironic that despite widespread concern about the lack of sustainable development in numerous countries around the world, government leaders, policy makers and development agents seem blinded to the one investment opportunity with almost guaranteed returns '€“ ensuring children start a good life." This is how the United Nation Children'€™s Fund (UNICEF) summarises "The State of the World'€™s Children" in its 2001 report. By Anso Thom
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