Tag: South Africa

Categories : PaediatricsTags :

Medicinal Plants Help Keep Children Healthy in South Africa: 61 Species were Recorded

On By ModernMedia
The common yellow commelina, one of the popular plants used to treat children. Photo by Bernard DUPONT via Wikimedia Commons. CC2.0

In 2021, almost 33 of every 1 000 South African children under five years old died.

This under-five mortality rate is far worse than in similar middle-income countries such as Brazil (14.4 per 1000 births), Cuba (5 per 1000), India (30.6), Indonesia (22.2) and Egypt (19.0).

South Africa’s under-five mortality rate also lags behind the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal of reducing these figures worldwide by 2030 to 25 deaths per 1000.

Significant progress has been made. In 1994, South Africa’s under-five mortality rate was 60.4 per 1000. The government’s Expanded Programme on Immunisation was one health intervention that made a difference.

However, inequalities persist. The underfunded public health sector has been stretched to serve 71% of the population.

Worldwide, many people, particularly those in rural settlements, depend on medicinal plants for their health. In August 2023, the World Health Organization held the first global summit on traditional medicine, in India.

As researchers with an interest in indigenous knowledge, we explored the use of medicinal plants as remedies against diseases among children in the North West province of South Africa.

Of the province’s population, 49.2% live below the poverty line with no access to proper housing, water and sanitation. These conditions have an impact on children’s health.

Despite the high reliance on traditional medicine by rural populations, the role of medicinal plants for the treatment of childhood diseases remains speculative and lacks systematic documentation.

Our study yielded the first comprehensive inventory of medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge related to children’s healthcare in the area.

In total, 61 plants from 34 families were recorded as medicine used for managing seven categories of diseases. Skin-related and gastro-intestinal diseases were the most prevalent childhood health conditions encountered by the study participants.

Capturing local wisdom

Evidence shows traditional health practitioners continue to play an important role in managing childhood illness in sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa is endowed with a rich wealth of flora and is often acclaimed as a biodiversity hotspot. Thousands of plants are used for traditional medicine for the management of diverse health conditions.

In the North West, we interviewed 101 participants, including traditional health practitioners, specifically those with expertise in managing and treating diseases among children, and herbal vendors operating in the selected study areas.

Gender distribution among the participants was 78% female and 21% male. This signifies the importance of women as active custodians of indigenous knowledge related to childhood health needs.

Of the participants, 63% had completed a secondary level of education, 21.8% had no formal education and 5% had attended primary school. Although 79% of the participants lived in villages, 15.8% were based in urban areas.

The participants were asked which plants they used to treat children. Of the 61 plants identified, 89% were recorded for the first time as botanicals used for childhood-related diseases by traditional health practitioners.

Carpet plant (Geranium incanum), common yellow commelina (Commelina africana) and elephant’s root (Elephantorrhiza elephantina) were the most popular medicinal plants.

Carpet plant was used as a treatment for diverse health problems such as umbilical cord conditions, muscle fits, measles, weight loss and appetite loss.

Common yellow commelina was used as a remedy to treat skin conditions, while elephant’s root was used to treat gastrointestinal and skin diseases.

Roots and rhizomes were the parts most frequently used as treatments (40%), followed by leaves (23%) and whole plants (20%).

Boiling plants or softening them in liquid were the main preparation methods. The plant remedies were mainly administered orally (60%) and used on the skin (39%).

The study also confirmed there are similarities in indigenous practices, techniques and plant matter for specific conditions that were previously reported in other provinces: KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.

The way forward

There is increasing support from governments for promoting traditional medicine as part of primary healthcare in African countries such as Cameroon and South Africa.

We recommend that:

  1. Government provide institutional and financial support to determine the role of herbal medicine in primary healthcare. Working with traditional health practitioners, medicinal plants must be documented and testing laboratories need to be set up to establish their efficacy and to determine appropriate dosages.
  2. Botanical gardens should be created to ensure the sustainability of plants and their continued role in providing much-needed medical care. In the North West province, 40% of the ecosystems are under severe stress, with 11 of the 61 vegetation and 14 of the 18 river types classified as threatened. Medicinal plants are mostly harvested from the wild, so it’s possible that many could face extinction from uncontrolled harvesting.

Authors

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Categories : Healthcare Politics and RegulationsTags :

Unemployed Doctors March to Department of Health

On By ModernMedia

They demand permanent jobs and no budget cuts to healthcare

Doctors marched to the Department of Health offices in Pietermaritzburg on Monday to demand jobs. Photo: Joseph Bracken.

Over 80 unemployed doctors marched from UNISA campus on Longmarket Road to the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health’s offices in Langalibele Street, Pietermaritzburg, on Monday.

They went to hand over their CVs and a memorandum demanding that the healthcare budget be increased to accommodate over 700 qualifying medical practitioners. The department was given 14 days to respond.

Eighty-four unemployed doctors also signed a register handed to the department.

The doctors were met by Deputy Health Minister Sibongiseni Dhlomo who said health minister Joe Phaahla had another engagement. Dhlomo said the department was working to address the issue of unemployed doctors, and that the minister would raise it this week in Parliament and ask that healthcare be exempt from budget cuts.

Dr Siya Shozi, part of a “small committee” of unemployed doctors with no political affiliation mandated to liaise with the department, said the march was coordinated through a WhatsApp group. Shozi was happy with the turnout but said it did not represent the large number of unemployed doctors in KZN and its rural areas.

Busiziwe Mancotywa, a grade one medical officer who has been unemployed since completing her training at the end of last year, said, “You apply for some positions where you meet the minimum requirements but for whatever reason you are never contacted”.

Mancotywa was joined by her brother, Nqaba, who is finishing his internship at Greys Hospital. He said if action is not taken now, he won’t find a job in the future.

Nomfundo Mbanjwa, also a grade one medical officer, complained about the cost of applying for jobs, including printing applications and transport to interviews. Mbanjwa says she had to sell her car to cover these costs.

Representatives from the South African Medical Association Trade Union (SAMATU) and the Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) joined the march and pledged support for the doctors.

Republished from GroundUp under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Source: GroundUp

Categories : Healthcare Politics and RegulationsTags :

Patient-centred Health Care: The NHI Revolution You Deserve

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A patient-centred health system will remain an illusion under the NHI unless the public health system is ramped up to better serve users and a clear path is outlined for public-private partnerships, argue Bernard Mutsago and Haseena Majid.

By Bernard Mutsago and Haseena Majid

National Health Insurance (NHI) is South Africa’s chosen financing vehicle for Universal Health Coverage (UHC). The plan is a step closer to being a reality after the NHI bill was passed by Parliament’s National Council of Provinces on 6 December 2023. The legislation aims for a single NHI fund that will buy services from public and private providers, it will be free at the point of delivery, and will prevent medical schemes from covering services that the NHI provides. The bill is likely to soon be signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa, although it may take years before all sections of the bill will come into force.

However, achieving a universal, affordable, high-quality, comprehensive, and patient-focused health system under the NHI will remain an illusion unless shortcomings of the public health system is fixed to meet the needs of the public. This can be achieved through a structured system that enables efficient and equitable pooling and distribution of resources across the public, private, and civil society sectors to improve service delivery.

As it stands, the absence of a clear framework for public-private partnerships in health service delivery is a barrier to progressive planning.

South Africa, over the last decade, has seen a significant decline in the state of its health sector. Despite initiatives such as the primary healthcare (PHC) re-engineering programme, and outreach services to improve service access, the health system faces a myriad of challenges. Budget constraints have crippled our human resource capacity. Corruption, maladministration, and neglect have resulted in the decay of facilities and their inability to withstand the increasing demands for basic and complex health services.

Most importantly, the data management system, public administration processes, and the referral pathways require significant intervention to align with the digital age and the potential role of artificial intelligence to improve health service delivery. The result is a poorly representative and possibly outdated set of data indicators to inform health service delivery needs that are contextual to geographic and institutional needs.

Applying a blanket approach to health interventions, in the absence of a significantly strengthened data collection and assessment pathway has led to questionable methods to achieving universal healthcare via NHI. The implementation of NHI pilot sites in the build-up to delivering the NHI has failed to show how the health system will move from the current curative approach to a more patient-centred approach. Failing to establish the patient-centred pathway at the onset from the public administration and health service delivery system, will result in the ongoing reality of some people being unable to access the health services closest to them at the lowest cost. It also has an extended impact on preventive strategies for better health outcomes.

South Africa has a fragmented, two-tiered and inequitable health system in which about only 17% of the population in 2018 had medical aid coverage, while more than 80% of the population are largely dependent on the public health sector. This is according to the Competition Commission’s final Health Market Inquiry report, released in November 2019.

The pathway to universal healthcare should entail crucial actions like maintaining and strengthening healthcare infrastructure and implementing strategic initiatives to bolster the workforce through robust recruitment, retention drives, and public-private collaborations.

But attention to these vital steps have been diverted by the government’s emphasis on a specific funding model -the NHI – The plan has faced considerable pushback with criticism, , largely rooted in the government’s inability to deliver essential services, theft due to corruption and cadre deployment, to the detriment of health users. These concerns  have been ignored. Instead, the determination to move ahead with the NHI amid outcries from the health sector, academics, and civil society is likely driven by politics.

Lessons from Ghana

Ghana’s failed NHI experiment is a luminous example for many countries attempting different financing models for delivering UHC. Ghana’s attempted NHI approach was taken off the national policy agenda due to public political opposition, weak civil society mobilisation, and low trust in the political leadership. This begs the question of whether due diligence was taken by the crafters of the NHI to establish the viability and sustainability of this model within the South African context.

Government needs fertile collaboration to materialise any policy goals. Whereas the NHI Bill has already been passed by the legislature, the successful implementation of the policy is dependent on people beyond the political realm. Engagements to structure and implement the operational plan for the NHI requires that government take on an approach that shows its willingness and commitment to take input from across all sectors, embrace the criticism, and find an approach that unifies all actors within the health sector and financing space.

Public-private partnership 

A well-designed public-private partnership model, with strong monitoring and evaluation processes could offer an opportunity to create the foundation for a medium-term solution. This could improve resource capacity in the public health sector to address the current health service backlogs, improve health infrastructure and technology, and create a functional system between the public and private health sectors to harvest  accurate health data. A strengthened data collection system that is inclusive and reflective of all users of the health system is after all essential to craft a responsive health system rather than a reactive one, thus placing the patient central to the health system.

Additionally, structures for community participation to inform healthcare service delivery, such as clinic committees and hospital boards, need to be bolstered as they are currently poorly functioning or non-existent. Including all voices, especially those of the public and clinicians, is critical for establishing  a capable health system that offers equitable health access for all people. This is only achievable through amplified voices and a united call for government to urgently re-evaluate its current approach toward NHI implementation.

*Mutsago is a health policy analyst, health equity activist, and primary healthcare enthusiast and Majid is a Global Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity in South Africa and director of public health programmes at civil society organisation Usawa.

Republished from Spotlight under a Creative Commons licence.

Source: Spotlight

Categories : Medical IndustryTags :

Pharmaceutical Task Group (PTG) Announces Appointment of Chairman and Deputy Chairman

On By ModernMedia

Zwelethu (Zweli) Bashman, has been appointed chairman of the Pharmaceutical Industry Association (PTG), and Dr Stavros Nicolaou as deputy chairman.  Four pharmaceutical associations, representing more than 80% of the industry, comprise the membership of the PTG.

Bashman is president of the Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa (IPASA), and managing director of MSD South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

“Our goal is to contribute towards an environment that promotes growth and investment in the South African pharmaceutical industry while aspiring to broaden access to medicines for all people living in South Africa,” said Bashman.  

Stavros Nicolaou has assumed the role of deputy chairman after serving as chairman of the PTG for several years.

Categories : Diseases, Syndromes and Conditions Medical Research & TechnologyTags :

Rare-X 2024 a Beacon of Hope for Those Living with Rare Diseases

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Source: Unsplash CC0

Amongst the intricacies of South Africa’s healthcare landscape, a silent but significant challenge lurks – the prevalence of rare diseases. Behind the curtain of mainstream medical discourse, millions grapple with the complexities of these often overlooked conditions, a stark reality often overshadowed by the glare of more prevalent health concerns. 

With more than 7000 identified rare diseases to date, they affect as many as 4.2 million South Africans, of which 50 – 70% are children1. These conditions are more prevalent than predicted, each posing unique and often debilitating challenges for patients and families alike. 

With 29 February commemorated as Rare Diseases Day, Rare Diseases South Africa (RDSA), is hosting its third biennial rare diseases conference, Rare-X 2024, at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, from 14 to 17 February. 

More than just a conference, Rare-X 2024 will focus on patient advocacy, education, policy reform, and improving equitable access to ensure better outcomes and support for individuals living with rare diseases.

As the first in-person conference since the COVID-19 pandemic, the event brings together patients, policymakers, academics, government and pharmaceutical companies to discuss the plight of rare diseases and find collaborative ways to improve patients’ lives and treatment efforts. 

The conference will comprise several activities, including keynote speeches by renowned experts in rare diseases; interactive panel discussions; workshops and training sessions; scientific presentations; networking opportunities and policy roundtables. 

Some of the renowned speakers to share their insights and global developments on rare diseases include Prof Alex van den Heever, Chair of Social Security Systems Administration and Management Studies at the Wits School of Governance; Professor Fatima Suleman, Professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal; and Professor Chris Hendriksz, Global Clinical Development Lead for Rare Diseases at Nestle Health Science, amongst others. Bringing a wealth of practical experience following his work with health professionals, will be traditional health practitioners (THPs), Mr Elliot Makhathini and Dr Conradie from North-West University’s Centre for Human Metabolomics, to name a few.

A rare disease relates to a condition that is considered rare when it affects one person in 20002. Currently, South Africa does not have its own definition of a rare disease, which is one of the major issues that need to be addressed by the government3.

As a patient-focused non-profit organisation, RDSA was launched in 2013 by CEO and Rare-X Director, Kelly du Plessis. The mother of a child with a rare condition, du Plessis realised the dire need for support for a highly under-acknowledged community, with the organisation advocating that people living with rare diseases and congenital disorders experience greater recognition, support, improved health services, and overall, a better quality of life. 

“Despite the need for increased representation, the rare diseases community remains vulnerable from a medical and policy perspective,” says du Plessis. “As part of our mandate, RDSA brings together international best practice and local medical innovation, driving a collective voice and playing a fundamental role in bridging the gap between vulnerable communities and medical advancement.”

To date, RDSA has successfully launched initiatives that have positively impacted the lives of over 6500 patients including engaging with various governmental departments, organs of state, industry players and strategic stakeholders to raise awareness and move rare disease policy forward.

For more information on the Rare-X conference, kindly visit www.rare-x.co.za 

References:

1. Marhebe, HL. Introducing the South African Rare Diseases Access Initiative. SAMJ. 2023;113(8).

2. Reserved IUA. Orphanet: About rare diseases [Internet]. [cited 2024 Feb 2]. Available from: https://www.orpha.net/consor/cgi-bin/Education_AboutRareDiseases.php?lng=EN

3. FAQs [Internet]. Rare Diseases SA. [cited 2024 Feb 2]. Available from: https://www.rarediseases.co.za/faqs

Categories : Medical IndustryTags :

What can South Africans Expect from Medical Aid Schemes this Year?

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Leo Dlamini – Bestmed CEO & Principal Officer

The medical aid industry is at a crucial turning point, driven by innovative technologies, and an ever-growing need for inclusive and affordable healthcare solutions.

According to Bestmed CEO and Principal Officer, Leo Dlamini, this sector is likely to witness the emergence of a more collaborative ecosystem as a result of partnerships between tech businesses, insurance companies and healthcare providers – those that offer an integrated experience – to align to shifting consumer demands.

“In fact, there are several pressure points that continue to challenge the industry,” says Dlamini. “Compliance, with its evolving regulations and policies, including those related to data protection and member privacy, are high on the list, along with balancing the budget within a tight economic environment remain key priorities.”

Increasing health costs

The cost of providing healthcare cover is increasing faster than the economic growth rate and the consumer price index (CPI) which renders medical scheme membership unaffordable for the majority of South Africans. “Balancing the rising costs of healthcare and affordability for members is delicate and critical aspect of a running a sustainable medical scheme,” adds Dlamini. “Driving the increase in costs of healthcare is also the utilisation rate (claims ratio) by the members. This is partly due to a rise in elective procedures post-COVID and the more aggressive clinical interventions. Much of this, we believe, is a consequence of people neglecting their regular health screenings, which is now translating into more serious health issues that require deeper intervention, more exploratory procedures and specialised treatment.”

The biggest cost driver in healthcare in 2024 continues to be hospitals, followed by specialists. “Although the number of hospital admissions are currently lower than they were in 2019/2020, the average cost of admission has risen substantially. This is why it is very important to establish collaborative ecosystems that are inclusive and beneficial to all stakeholders.”

Personalised prevention over cure

Now more than ever, consumers are demanding transparency, simplicity and responsiveness when it comes to their medical aid, says Dlamini, which means a focus on more digitally integrated platforms for easier access to service, information and support. “Digital health technologies, including telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics and personalised medicine options are increasingly shaping the medical landscape, allowing for more efficient and tailored healthcare solutions.”

“There is also a growing trend towards preventive healthcare,” adds Dlamini. “Medical schemes are, therefore, focusing more on wellness programmes, health screenings and preventive measures to improve members costs and reduce downstream / future costs. This also includes recognising the importance of mental health, and providing broader coverage and services, which include access to counselling, psychiatric treatments and support programmes.”

Retaining control while innovating for the future

2024 will see Bestmed mark 60 years since inception.  Bestmed is South Africa’s fourth largest open medical scheme and the country’s largest self-administered entity.

“As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, it’s an opportune time to take stock of how we’ve fared thus far and what the future outlook is,” adds Dlamini. “Embracing technological advancements to create an integrated healthcare ecosystem, as well as focus on delivering innovative health solutions that are competitively priced are key.  Equally important is the ability to adapt our offering to the changing healthcare needs of our members whilst also maintaining our Personally Yours brand promise.”

Bestmed achieved over 20% growth rate over the last few years which Dlamini attributes to the organisation’s ability to retain existing members, attract new ones (members) with our value-for-money product offering as well as being responsiveness to members’ needs.  “As a self-administering medical scheme, we pride ourselves with being more agile and responsive to members whilst also ensuring that every interaction is not transactional but personal,” adds Dlamini.

As for healthcare advice this year, Dlamini urges consumers to take control. “Do not neglect regular screenings, particularly as you grow into the senior years. Committing to these does not only prove life-saving, but also ensures that your money is not consumed unnecessarily and that your medical scheme is able to safeguard your contributions (reserves) to cover future medical expenses. Make sure that every procedure recommended is necessary and relevant to your condition.”

“It is going to be a tough year as economic growth remains flat and disposable income under sustained pressure from high interest rates and inflation.  The national election and the outcomes therefrom will most likely impact all of us in some form or other.  As medical schemes we must remain focused on providing value–for–money from our offerings and actively working to improve the health of members,” concludes Dlamini. 

Categories : Healthcare Politics and RegulationsTags :

With Elections and NHI, This is a Big Year for Healthcare in SA

On By ModernMedia

By Marcus Low

South Africa is barrelling towards its most consequential and most competitive national and provincial elections since 1994, expected to take place in May. That the ANC’s share of the vote, will be further eroded this year seems inevitable, given ongoing power cuts, failing railways, water management problems, high crime rates, and dysfunctional basic education and public health systems.

Covering elections is tricky at the best of times for media houses. At Spotlight, we plan to follow the advice of Jay Rosen, journalism professor at New York University, to focus on reporting “not the odds, but the stakes”. As far as the odds does go, however, it seems likely that the ANC – alone or in coalition – will govern nationally, but they could lose power in the country’s two most populous provinces, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The stakes in these two provinces could not be higher when it comes to healthcare. The day-to-day running of our public healthcare system is after all the domain of provincial health departments.

Limping from crisis to crisis

Take Gauteng. From alleged health department corruption worth more than R1.2 billion in 2007/2008, to the Life Esidemini tragedy of 2016, to more recent issues such as the lacklustre response to alleged corruption at Tembisa Hospital, ongoing problems with food and security contracts, and the persecution of whistleblowers like Dr Tim de Maayer, the province’s health department has stumbled from crisis to crisis under the ANC for well over a decade now. New starts under new members of the executive council (MECs) and heads of department have been a dime a dozen, but if anything, the quality of governance has decayed over time. What is at stake is literally basics like whether there is sufficient food available for people in hospital.

There is, of course, no guarantee that this atrocious situation will be turned around if, for instance, a multi-party coalition of the DA, Action SA and others run the province – but the prospect of such a change certainly is intriguing. Just imagine the DA’s Jack Bloom having a go as Gauteng’s MEC for Health after decades of holding other MECs and heads of department to account from the sidelines.

The future of NHI

The year’s other headlining health story seems set to again be National Health Insurance (NHI), which promises healthcare for all – employed or unemployed – South Africans, permanent residents, refugees, inmates, and specific categories of foreign nationals. After making it through parliament at the end of last year, the NHI Bill is likely to be signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa any day now. Much of the bill won’t come into effect for quite some time, and we are sure to see several court cases challenging its constitutionality. There is also an outside chance that later this year the balance of power in parliament could shift against NHI, or at least certain elements of NHI. It is not too much of a stretch to say the future of NHI is one of several important things on the line at the ballot box.

Also at stake in the elections is government’s response to seemingly intractable problems like South Africa’s shortage of healthcare workers, budget shortfalls, and health sector corruption. It would be naïve to think a change in power will solve these problems overnight – much of the world is struggling with shortages of healthcare workers and South Africa’s budget restraints are all too real, but some will argue that a change in power may nevertheless be a necessary first step given the extent to which all three of these issues have been allowed to drift in recent years. There is certainly an argument to be made that the current lack of progress is rooted in a lack of state capacity and that the lack of state capacity, in turn, is a consequence of the ANC’s explicit policy of cadre deployment.

Whether or not voters again back the ANC, some specific questions should provide a good gauge of progress in 2024. Will we finally see convictions for the alleged corruption uncovered by public servant Babita Deokaran? Will government publish an implementation plan for addressing our healthcare worker crisis (we already have a good strategy) and, this is the key, put money and political capital behind its implementation? Will the new parliament pass a good State Liability Bill (which could help reduce the state’s liability for medico-legal claims) and finally get round to amending South Africa’s Patents Act to better balance medicine monopolies with the right to health (as set out in a policy adopted by cabinet back in 2018)? Will the establishment of the National Public Health Institute of South Africa remain stalled? Will government continue to ignore recommendations from the Competition Commission’s Health Market Inquiry on how to better regulate private healthcare in South Africa (the commission’s very impressive report was published in 2019)? Will the new health MECs and heads of provincial health departments appointed after the elections bring real change?

HIV, TB and NCDs

The National Department of Health has generally produced good HIV and tuberculosis (TB) policy over the last decade or so. In some respects, those policies have been well implemented – think the massive amount of HIV testing done in the country, in other respects they have been undermined by the general dysfunction in the public healthcare system – think long queues, staff shortages, and poor TB screening and infection control. Some innovations, like pills to prevent HIV or new TB treatments, could have been rolled out more quickly and better marketed to users.

At stake in the elections is thus not so much whether we produce good policies in areas such as HIV, TB and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), but whether we will get the leadership we need to ensure better and faster implementation of those policies.

On the HIV front, we will be keeping a close eye this year on the ongoing rollout of HIV prevention pills. While the rollout has gathered some momentum in recent years, the pills are generally still too hard to get hold of for those who could most benefit from it. Pilot projects should shed light on how to best make breakthrough new HIV prevention injections available in South Africa, but the high price of these injections is likely to mean the many young women who could most benefit from it won’t be able to get it.

New HIV figures from Thembisa, the leading mathematical model of HIV in South Africa, will be keenly watched this year since it will integrate recent findings from the  Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) survey (which contained some unexpectedly positive numbers). On the negative side, the HSRC survey also indicated that condom use was significantly down in 2022 compared to 2017 – this while a recent HIV investment case found that condoms are the only cost-saving HIV intervention for the health system. Either way, the extent to which condoms are made easily available will remain an important measure of government’s commitment to fighting HIV, both now and after the elections.

Last year, we saw significant changes in how TB is tested for and treated in South Africa. In short, many more people became eligible for TB tests and eligibility for TB preventive therapy was dramatically expanded. How impactful these new policies will be this year will depend on how well they are implemented, which again brings us back to the ongoing problems of healthcare worker shortages and a lack of management capacity in most of our provincial health departments. Maybe then, in a context of generally reasonable HIV and TB policy, what matters is not so much what different political parties have to offer on these diseases specifically, but what they can do to improve the functioning of our healthcare system more generally.

That said, one notable thing with TB is that, despite South Africa having often made good TB policy and having played an important role in raising the profile of TB at the United Nations, TB has never really become a political or elections issue here in the way one might expect from a disease that claims over 50 000 lives, of mostly poor people, in the country per year. So far, there is no indication that any political parties are set to change this in 2024.

Finally, while the long-term trends with HIV and TB are downward, the trend with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension in South Africa is in the opposite direction. Government has set HIV-style diabetes and hypertension targets and published a national plan, but again there are serious questions about whether these plans will be implemented and whether the public health system has the capacity to offer the levels of testing, treatment and care that is required. Meanwhile, breakthrough weight loss medicines that made headlines in 2023 are likely to remain out of reach for most people in South Africa and interventions like the sugar tax will remain highly contested before and after the elections.

Whatever happens at the ballot box, one thing is clear, given the rising NCD threat, healthcare worker shortages, budget shortfalls, and endemic corruption, whoever is in power nationally and provincially after this year’s elections will have their work cut out for them. While we will not endorse any political parties at Spotlight, we do urge voters to consider what is at stake in these elections when it comes to healthcare. Part of the picture will of course be painted by political party manifestos (which we will analyse in detail in the coming months), but as important as the policies, is the track record of what parties have done when they’ve held power. Whether in Gauteng, the Western Cape, or nationally, voters will hopefully send a clear message on whether or not they think those currently in power are on the right track.

*Low is editor of Spotlight.

NOTE: Spotlight is editorially independent and is not affiliated with, nor does it endorse any political parties. Spotlight is a member of the South African Press Council.

Republished from Spotlight under a Creative Commons licence.

Source: Spotlight

Categories : Medical IndustryTags :

GEMS is Again Recognised as a Top Employer 2024 in South Africa

On By ModernMedia

The 2024 Top Employers have been announced and GEMS (Government Employees Medical Scheme) has again been recognised as a Top Employer in South Africa. 

Being certified as a Top Employer showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work and exhibits this through excellent HR policies and people practices. 

GEMS Principal Officer, Dr Stan Moloabi says this of the accolade, “The Scheme takes immense pride in this achievement as we believe in the adage, ‘batho pele’– people first.” He adds, “It is our focus on investing in our more than 400 employees that enables us to fulfil our mission to provide all members with equitable access to affordable and comprehensive healthcare; promoting member wellbeing.”

The Top Employers Institute programme certifies organisations based on the participation and results of their HR Best Practices Survey. This survey covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including People Strategy, Work Environment, Talent Acquisition, Learning, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and more.

To the Scheme, it is heartwarming that it is the third year in a row that it has received this recognition.

Top Employers Institute CEO David Plink says: “Exceptional times bring out the best in people and organisations. And we have witnessed this in our Top Employers Certification Programme this year: exceptional performance from the certified Top Employers 2024. These employers have always shown that they care for the development and well-being of their people. By doing so, they collectively enrich the world of work. We are proud to announce and celebrate this year’s group of leading people-oriented employers: the Top Employers 2024.” 

The programme has certified and recognised over 2 300 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents. 

Categories : Expert Opinion Medical IndustryTags :

Can Digital Technology Improve Accessibility to Healthcare in SA?

On By ModernMedia

Technology is reshaping and closing the gap between patients, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system. By embracing this digital shift, South Africa’s healthcare sector can benefit both now and in the long term, resulting in a healthier and more prosperous society, writes Bada Pharasi, Chief Executive Officer of The Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa (IPASA).

As technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big data disrupt multiple industries, it has proven its worth in simplifying, analysing and speeding up processes, and the healthcare sector is no different. 

Technology in the sector has come a long way since the inception of the stethoscope and X-rays. Today, it is becoming the cornerstone of modern healthcare in developed countries across the globe and is growing at an unprecedented rate. So much so that studies suggest that while the global digital health market was valued at over US$330 billion in 2022, this number is expected to skyrocket to a staggering US$650 billion by 20251.  

While the likes of the United States and the United Kingdom lead the charge in the adoption of digital health, South Africa is quickly growing its share of the pie as well. Insights suggest that in South Africa revenue in the digital health market is projected to reach US$831.20 million this year. Moreover, it is envisioned to grow by an annual growth rate of as much as 7.57%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$1,113.00 million by 20282. 

From revolutionising patient access to cutting-edge medicine and AI-driven diagnostics tools to virtual consultations with healthcare specialists and genomic breakthroughs, the capabilities of digital health technologies are far-reaching.

The advent of technology such as AI and big data brings with it the capacity to interpret analytics and enhance patient care through faster diagnosis than was ever thought possible. Google’s DeepMind AI system, for example, recognises eye diseases with a correct diagnosis of up to 94.5%, while teledermatology companies have developed apps that utilise smartphone and computer cameras to aid patients in finding out the cause of lesions or certain conditions3.  

Moreover, technologies such as the Phillips Lumify Portable Ultrasound allow for an examination anywhere, be it a refugee camp or an accident scene, while IBM Watson has leveraged the power of AI to accelerate the early detection of oncological diseases and analyse data to compile treatment programmes for those with cancer3. 

It is a dynamic realm that enables better collaboration around patient-centred care, and one that promises a future where healthcare can be delivered to patients quickly and more effectively than ever before.

This is particularly relevant in the South African context, where as many as 45 million people, or 82 out of every 100 South Africans, fall outside of the medical aid cohort4. This is compounded by the fact that nearly 32% of the population resides in rural areas5 where access to healthcare is limited, meaning the adoption of digital healthcare has the potential to address many of the health issues that plague the country and create a healthier and more productive society. 

And the shift has already begun, with provincial departments such as the Free State Health Department heeding the digital call. In late 2023, the department announced its intention to utilise digital innovations to streamline healthcare services and improve patient and healthcare outcomes in the province6. 

The department’s first project in the province is focused on telemedicine, where patients and specialists consult online from the comfort of their local clinic, regardless of their different locations. The second sees the mountain of paper patient records being done away with in favour of a streamlined, digital system where patient records can be accessible electronically, thus greatly improving efficiency, reducing errors, and ensuring continuity of care6.   

Importantly, amidst the promising potential that these technologies yield, it is critical for healthcare workers to remain steadfast in their digital fluency and technological relevance. 

Gone are the days of specialists only being adept in their professions. Professionals of the future need an understanding of the technologies at their disposal, how they work and how they will better serve their patients. In this way, they will remain at the forefront of the latest innovations specific to their fields of expertise, thus propelling the advancements forward.

In doing so, this ongoing upskilling ensures not only the advancement of their professions but will also benefit patient outcomes for decades to come. 

References:

1. Digital health – Statistics & Facts [Internet]. Statista. [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.statista.com/topics/2409/digital-health/

2. Digital Health – South Africa [Internet]. Statista. [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.statista.com/outlook/hmo/digital-health/south-africa

3. Digital healthcare: the evolution of better medicine [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.discovery.co.za/

4. [No title] [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=10548#

5. South Africa Rural population, percent – data, chart [Internet]. TheGlobalEconomy.com. [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/South-Africa/rural_population_percent/

6. Sompane M. FS Health goes digital to improve services [Internet]. Health-e News. 2023 [cited 2024 Jan 16]. Available from: https://health-e.org.za/2023/12/19/fs-health-goes-digital-to-improve-services

Categories : Dentistry Expert OpinionTags :

Opinion: We can’t Simply Close Dental Facilities during the Festive Period

On By ModernMedia
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

By Bulela Vava for Spotlight

On the 2nd of January 2024, Simphiwe*, needing emergency oral healthcare, turned to the Cala District Hospital in the Eastern Cape. However, she was confronted with a note on the door that read, “Dear Community Members, starting from the 18th of December 2023 to the 12th of January 2024 there is no dentist. The dentist will start working on the 15th of January 2024.”

Many such notices hang in front of oral health clinic doors, mostly where dentists work alone to respond to the myriad of emergency oral health needs within their catchment area. Having previously worked alone at a provincial government funded hospital in the rural Eastern Cape, similar notices would be placed on the door to the oral health clinic I operated, until such time as a colleague joined me at the facility.

Oral diseases affect more than 3 billion people globally, while in Africa, it affects an estimated 400 million people.

Oral diseases and conditions that affect people include trauma-related oral injuries, oral cancers, dental decay, and periodontal disease amongst others.

While dental decay remains the most common form of oral disease, untreated, it can lead to life-threatening complications. The closure of dental services at any oral health clinic may subject people to the risk of developing conditions such as Ludwig’s angina, a life-threatening condition that is linked to delayed access to care.

Fewer than 200 dentists

The Eastern Cape is predominantly a rural province, with most of the province’s 7.2 million people largely depending on public healthcare services for the majority, if not all their healthcare needs. The province employs fewer than 200 dentists, a majority of whom are concentrated in the more urban/peri-urban centres.

Cala, a rural town in the province’s Sakhisizwe Local Municipality, is home to an estimated 63 000 people and Cala District Hospital provides access to oral health services to this population. The hospital’s closed dental clinic over the festive period deprived the people of Cala of much-needed care.

It is well known that the festive period results in an increased need for emergency healthcare, including oral healthcare services. People often present with jaw fractures, tooth fractures -often a result of violence or accidents associated with an increase in alcohol consumption -, oral pain and sepsis. While the festive period may result in the increased need for managing these conditions, these are the usual conditions, amongst others, that are managed in many public oral health clinics in most provinces.

Oral health professionals, in particular dentists, are trained to manage the complete spectrum of general oral diseases and often refer to dental specialists for complex and specialised management. In a province like the Eastern Cape, characterised by a dire shortage of dental specialists, dentists are the last defence for many of the people in the province.

A significant portion of dentists in the province work alone, with limited options to manage their leave, often leaving clinics closed in their absence.

However, the closure of dental clinics without a detailed and well-communicated plan is unacceptable and places the lives of populations in danger. At times, people have been known to resort to harmful and dangerous home practices to relieve themselves of their anguish.

We need a plan

A comprehensive plan must be put in place for efficient management and referral of emergency oral healthcare cases during the festive period so that we avoid a repeat of this year’s unacceptable situation at Cala District Hospital 12 months down the line. People in need of oral health services must be made aware of where they can access such services without any delay.

Beyond this, there is a need to invest in building adequate human resource capacity for oral health in the province, to ensure that services are readily available. A mix of oral health professionals and the prioritisation of “lone dentist” clinics for community service placements should help alleviate some of the problems in the system.

It is concerning that the challenges faced in the Eastern Cape is very similar to those in other parts of the country. Fewer than 3000 dentists are working in the public healthcare sector nationwide. With such numbers it is unlikely that what happened to Simphiwe was an isolated incident. Her experience should serve as an important case study, highlighting the significant problems faced by communities and oral health professionals.

Those responsible for managing oral healthcare services in South Africa must take note and recognise that the continued deprioritisation and neglect of the population’s oral health cannot be allowed to continue.  We must work together to ensure that oral health is given the attention it deserves as a critical aspect of general health and well-being.

*Dr Vava is the President of the Public Oral Health Forum, a network of public oral health professionals striving for oral health equity, dignity and well-being for all.

Republished from Spotlight under a Creative Commons licence.

Source: Spotlight