Health e News
Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr. Nomathemba Mokgethi confirmed that the Helen Joseph Hospital has seen an increase in the number of mental healthcare admissions due to a number of reasons. This includes hundreds of patients, seeking care from outside the hospital’s feeder area, flocking to the facility. Mokgethi added that an increase in poor socio-economic circumstances worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of illegal substances, and families who refuse to take back their relatives once discharged, have put additional pressure on the hospital. She was responding to a legislature question and also cited the temporary closure of some sections of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) as another contributing factor. “The hospital is also liaising with other psychiatric wards in other facilities to transfer patients whenever there is capacity,” added Mokgethi. Numbers say it all Gauteng Health spokesperson, Kwara Kekana, provided statistics to back up the increasing numbers.
- ///News
The Department of Health narrowly avoided court action after announcing on Monday it had finally paid 53 junior doctors, serving internships at public hospitals in Gauteng their January and February salaries. The appointment process for three other junior doctors is still underway subject to the conclusion of the administrative issues, the Gauteng Department of Health said in a statement.. The provincial department has blamed the bungle on too many medical interns being allocated to the province. It said positions for 429 medical interns are funded annually but this year the national department allocated an additional 203 interns to Gauteng. Payment delays blamed on oversupply of junior doctors to Gauteng “This has meant that GDoH has had to first confirm additional full funding for any excess interns allocated to the province beyond the available baseline of GDoH funded posts. This unfortunately results in delays in payments to some of the interns,”the
Residents of Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) in the Eastern Cape have had to either dig deep into their pockets or take matters into their own hands after the water quality in the area was deemed unsafe. Last week, authorities urged residents to bleach the water needed for drinking or cooking. It seems as if poor maintenance of water infrastructure, financial management, and a lack of water purification has led to a deterioration of the water quality. Siphiwo Banzi, a mother of a four-month-old baby, said she was anxious about the impact the water could have on her son. ”Imagine I have to prepare formula milk for my baby and bathe him every day. I really don’t trust this water. Although I have to boil it first when preparing my child’s milk, it still remains brown.” Extra costs The family has resorted to buying bottled water to prepare the baby formula
In a bid to do away with outdated, painful finger sticks, the South African Diabetes Advocacy wants sensor technology made available for all those living with Type 1 diabetes. The non-profit organisation (NPO) lodged an appeal with the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) to include new non-invasive flash glucose sensor monitors as a Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB). Bridget McNulty, SA Diabetes Advocacy Chairperson, confirmed their campaign has plenty of backing. “We also have 47 pages of testimonials from people with Type 1 diabetes and from doctors who support this appeal. The petition is to show that we have public support too – over 6 000 people have signed it so far!” said McNulty. Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in South Africa. According to statistics from the International Diabetes Federation, over 4.5 million South Africans have diabetes with the majority of those living with Type 2 diabetes. However,
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has admitted that its potable water should not be consumed as it is a health hazard. This comes after months of insisting the water is safe to drink and cook with. “Through rigorous routine testing and sampling of water in the distribution system for the past week, the metro has learnt that certain microbiological limits were exceeded. It is through this process that the municipality has come to detect failures in the water compliance with SANS standards. This then means that, for now, the water coming out of our distribution system could present a risk to human health if ingested. “ It blames the deterioration in the water quality on the low dam levels caused by the current drought and fluctuating reservoir levels. The information was released after the Democratic Alliance launched two Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) applications. Nelson Mandela Bay Water
- ///News
The health department has made several changes to the vaccination programme . This includes cutting the waiting time between the first and second doses of Pfizer from 42 days to 21 days as from Wednesday. In a statement released on. Monday morning, the department said that everyone fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine can now go for their booster dose three months after the second dose. The interval is currently 180 days. It also announced that all individuals older than 18 years of age who have received one dose of the Johnson &Johnson vaccine will as of today be able to receive a booster dose after two months. [Read] The Department of @HealthZA has announced changes to the vaccination programme as part of ongoing efforts to increase uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in South Africa https://t.co/hYz9QImMYs pic.twitter.com/ZDLVzleBhW — @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) February 21, 2022 On-site availability will determine which booster will
South Africans wishing to manage their COVID-19 symptoms, may now use Merck’s molnupiravir pill after the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) approved it yesterday. However, the National Department of Health, won’t be adding the pill to their available treatment options. National Deportment of Health spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said that government was not planning to buy the treatment pill. “We welcome the decision by SAHPRA to authorise the use of the pill in SA. However, we are not going to procure the pill for the public sector. The evaluation showed that it is not significantly better than how we treat COVID-19 now,” said Mohale. It has since been reported that Dr Nicholas Crisp, acting Director-General of the National Health Department, said the pill is too costly. Risk of hospitalisation, death slashed SAHPRA’s green light comes after phase 2 and 3 clinical trials showed it reduces the risk of hospitalisation
- ///News
It’s been almost a year since crucial parts of the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) were ravaged by fire – and up until this day, they remain closed. In an effort to speed things up, Gauteng Premier David Makhura signed a proclamation last week to transfer all functions relating to the refurbishments from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) to the Department of Health. Acting Director-General in the Office of the Premier, Thabo Masebe, made the announcement during a press briefing earlier today. No agreement in place Masebe added that the one of the reasons behind the delay was that there was no agreement in place between the two departments. “The Department of Health did not agree on the scope of work and the budget that was proposed by the Department of Infrastructure Development,” he said. Masebe said that the transfer would help in fast-tracking the project of
The Health Department and sexual and reproductive health NGOs are urging South Africans to use condoms to avoid contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). South Africa is marking STI/Condom Week which highlights the importance of condom usage and also educates people about STIs. Young people must be especially cautious and use condoms to protect themselves, said Precious Robinson, chief technical specialist for prevention, care, and treatment at health NGO, Right to Care. “It is a serious concern that in South Africa 7.9 million people were living with HIV in 2020 with a high volume of STIs. The high numbers of STI cases have partly been due to inadequate prevention. Most global health targets to end and prevent HIV and STIs for 2020 were missed because the focus was on Covid-19, and South Africa is no exception,” said Robinson. South Africa has the highest prevalence rate of HIV in the world, and
Being intimate with your partner might seem strange now that you’re pregnant. But don’t stress – there is nothing to worry about when having sex during pregnancy, and most importantly, your baby is safe. It’s understandable if you’re feeling uneasy and have plenty of questions. Fortunately, sex has several benefits while expecting, but there are some guidelines to follow when you and your partner get in the mood. With the help of Dr. Palesa Kennedy, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Rahima Moosa Hospital, we have all your questions covered. 1) Is sex safe during pregnancy? Yes, it is safe to have sex while pregnant. Kennedy said it’s imperative that pregnant women first get the green light from their practitioners before engaging in sex. This will ensure that there’ll be no complications. It’s especially important that women who have a miscarriage history, or if they are at risk, speak to their
A study has revealed that school-aged children who eat more fruit and vegetables, have a better mental well-being. However, healthy eating isn’t an option for the majority of South African kids and experts believe the only way forward is to expand the monthly child support grant and strengthen the National School Nutrition Program (NSNP). Research from the University of East Anglia’s Health & Social Care Partners (UEAHSCP) confirmed that: “Higher fruit and vegetable consumption was significantly associated with better mental well-being in secondary pupils. Also, the type of breakfast and lunch consumed, by both primary and secondary pupils, was significantly associated with well-being.” The study also found that school-aged children who ate five or more portions of fruit and veg a day had the highest scores for mental wellbeing. Changes needed On a local front, Angelika Grimbeek, Nutrition Programme Manager at the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), said more effort needs
New mothers often dread returning to the office after having a baby. Being able to bond with your new bundle of love somehow changes everything – but believe it or not, it’s possible to juggle motherhood and your career guilt-free. Going back to work doesn’t have to seem like a huge mountain ahead of you. Although a huge transition, having peace of mind that your baby will be okay is an important first step. Profmed Adviser, Dr Wilhelmina Erasmus said it’s no wonder women dread the return to the office. ‘Biggest psychological change’ “The woman who has gone on maternity leave is no longer the same one returning to work. She has probably undergone the biggest psychological change in her life. It may help to know what to expect when going back to work. The first step is to ensure that you feel comfortable with the caregiver that you have