Palliative care in action
The launch of the Centre of Excellence in Palliative Care in Johannesburg last week brings hope and courage to people with incurable illnesses, who often suffer enormous physical pain and emotional pain.
Health Systems
Read More » Palliative care in action
Committee rejects controversial medicine registration system
Parliament's health committee has rejected a move by the health department to introduce a two-tier system for medicines approval whereby the health minister would have had the final say over whether a medicine could be registered.
Palliative care recognised Living with AIDS # 362
Taking care of people who are very sick or dying has traditionally been left to hospices. But in a novel partnership, the Gauteng Health Department will launch the Centre for Excellent Palliative Care at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital tomorrow (Friday, 15/08/2008). This integrates this kind of care into the public health service.
Public health sector slammed
The public health sector has come under criticism over poor services and the failure to implement government policies effectively.
AIDS Conference to defend spending
Over 22 000 of the world's key HIV/AIDS scientists, academics and activists descend on Mexico City this Sunday (3 August) for the start of the 17th international AIDS conference.
DoH to revise ART guidelines Living with AIDS # 359
The Department of Health is reviewing its guidelines for antiretroviral treatment, and at the heart of discussions is whether people should be able to start taking medication sooner.
People with HIV may get medicine sooner
The Department of Health may allow people living with HIV to get antiretroviral drugs earlier than at present.
Billions still at risk because of poor sanitation
Every day, over 2,5-billion people suffer from a lack of access to improved sanitation and half of these practise open defecation, the riskiest sanitary practice of all, according to a report issued by the WHO/UNICEF.
Top experts examine ARV access and health systems
South Africa's top researchers, policy makers, managers and providers have released the outcome of a roundtable discussion held last year, where they grappled with antiretroviral access and the health system's capacity to cope with the increasing demand.
The challenge of implementing prisoner guidelines Living with AIDS # 358
Last week we reported on the launch of guidelines developed by the Southern African HIV Clinicians' Society to prevent and treat TB and HIV in prisons. Their implementation will not be easy.
Minister explains thinking behind private sector regulation
Health minister Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang has told the Board of Healthcare Funders' annual conference that the private health sector has seen an uncontrolled cost spiral since the 1980s and it has become increasingly unaffordable for South Africans to belong to medical schemes.
She identified the most important cost drivers as private hospitals, specialists and administrative costs. Read the Minister's full speech here.
Ensuring healthy prisoners Living with AIDS # 357
The Southern African HIV Clinicians' Society recently published guidelines aimed at the prevention and treatment of HIV and TB in prisons, affirming the rights of prisoners to quality health care.
ALP and TAC hit back after Mseleku’s ‘personal attack’
The AIDS Law Project (ALP) and Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) have hit back after two senior health department officials attacked one of its senior leader's presentation at the national tuberculosis conference in Durban last week.
Dare to care (part two) Living with AIDS # 356
This is the last in our two-part conversation with Dr Thys von Mollendorff, author of 'Dare to care', a personal account of how political interference can deny patients the right to appropriate and quality health care.
South Africa should recruit foreign doctors
DURBAN - South Africa needs to revisit its stubborn policy of not employing foreign qualified doctors from other African countries, despite the fact that they are already in the country, the country's first TB conference has heard.