MORE than five million people died from the effects of tobacco globally a year, which was higher than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis deaths combined, according to the South African Medical Association (Sama). Speaking ahead of World Tobacco Day on May 31, Sama member Dr Trevor Terblanche said it was the only legal consumer product that killed when used exactly as the manufacturer intended. He said that up to half of all smokers would die from a tobacco-related disease. It was also a known fact that second-hand smoke harms everyone who was exposed to it, he said.
SAPA, 21 May 2009
IT IS POSSIBLE to provide top class medical scheme administration while keeping a lid on rising costs, according to Nick Rudston, Managing Director of Administration at Metropolitan Health Group.
He believes that the company's firm commitment to keeping things simple is making a real difference in terms of cost savings for the members of the medical schemes it administers.
"Our business model benefits from our objective of keeping things simple," he says. "For example, we don't offer loyalty schemes which would potentially force costs up and we try whenever possible to steer the boards of trustees of the schemes we administer towards simplistic and value for money benefit design."
All except one of the 16 medical schemes administered by Metropolitan Health Group are restricted to specific employer groups. The cost of administration in all cases is well below the industry average, a statistic that allows Metropolitan Health Group to pass on cost savings to schemes, and in turn their members, according to Rudston.
This low-frills approach begins with streamlined administration, he elaborates. The group has reduced non-healthcare costs, ie those associated with the administration and managed care services provided to schemes. At the same time, it has improved its service to customers with information technology and employee training.
"It has kept us at the forefront of the industry. Testament to the excellence of our systems is the fact that we are able to cope with phenomenal membership growth. We administer the four largest restricted medical schemes in South Africa, namely Bankmed, Transmed, Polmed and the Government Employee Medical Scheme (GEMS), which is growing by an average of 500 members a day."
GEMS has grown from zero to in excess of 350 000 principal members in just over three years.
He reveals that the group is hoping that its experience gained in administration will position it well for a role of a similar nature when the much-anticipated National Health Insurance is rolled out by government.
"This is a complex industry to be in. People's health and what they pay for healthcare are both highly emotive topics. So, while we are constantly mindful of the importance of cost savings through simplification and a streamlined service, we are totally committed to providing service excellence."
Loraine Tulleken: Business Report, 28 May 2009
THE recommended fees pharmacists charge for professional services will be regulated as soon as 2010, the SA Pharmacy Council said on Friday.
SAPC president Bada Pharasi said the fee structure would for the first time provide pricing transparency to the benefit of consumers and pharmacists alike.
Previously, consumers have been charged administration fees additional to the price of the medicines. However, once promulgated, the services provided would be itemised, Pharasi told reporters in Pretoria.
"Pharmacists have been factoring in other costs and the most common words that have been used are, 'we add on an administration fee'.
"It's important that people become aware exactly what it is they are paying for."
Pharasi emphasised that this would not necessarily mean people would be paying more for a visit to their local pharmacist.
"Certainly, what we expect is that in many instances, patients are going to have to pay less than what they were paying."
For example, while a patient may have previously gone to a pharmacist for a "free" blood-pressure test or ask advice on medication, they were in fact paying for this service through other fees charged. With the incoming regulations, consumers would now know exactly what they were paying for.
The rules governing the fee structure were published for comment in the Government Gazette on last week.
SAPA, 1 June 2009
SOUTH African researchers have made history by developing an AIDS vaccine that was clinically tested in the US for local use.
Professor Glenda Gray, of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, yesterday said that unlike in the past, when developed countries produced vaccines and had them tested in developing countries, South Africa could now boast its very own vaccine.
Gray was speaking at the Banner of Truth Ministries Church in Devland, Johannesburg, as part of World AIDS Vaccine Day celebrations.
Gray said that if the vaccine was a success it would be available to the public for free because the research was government funded. She explained that 12 Americans were nearing the end of the first phase of the vaccine's clinical trial, and the rollout would start in SA within the next three weeks.
"Without a vaccine, we won't be able to eradicate the disease. We try and we fail, but one day we're going to win," said Gray.
"We know that this virus is clever; we have to up our game. Just when we think we have it, it changes its form," she said.
Despite having tried to create a successful vaccine for 20 years, Gray said "some scientists believe we're almost there".
Community Advisory Board (CAB) chairwoman Gloria Malind said a vaccine was the only hope of beating the AIDS pandemic. The CAB works with HIV/AIDS researchers and protects the rights of volunteers who take part in trials.
"We came here to see if one day we'll get a vaccine that will be safe and efficient. Our hope is that we can lessen the number of people who are ill and those who are dying," she said.
Already the vaccine rollout has 18 confirmed participants in Soweto and another 18 in Cape Town, while 60 more are awaiting confirmation if they are eligible to go ahead with the rollout.
Gray said that for a person to be eligible to take part in a vaccine clinical trial, they had to be over 18 years of age and healthy.
"You have to be HIV-negative and in good health; we want people to be low-risk," she said.
Gray explained that no one takes part in the trial without being fully informed of what it entails.
She said common side-effects that participants experience included flu-like symptoms, nausea, stomach ache and dizziness.
"We never do trials if the benefits don't outweigh the risks," she said, adding that they had to go through stringent scrutiny before testing the vaccines on people.
Fikile Mkhatshwa, 37, volunteered to take part in a vaccine clinical trial in 2003. She said people are misinformed about these trial runs and stigmatise the volunteers, thinking they are HIV-positive.
"In order for you to understand, you must seek information and know what vaccination is. I would be happy to see the community conquering this," she said. My goal was not to do this for me, but for my kids and the next generations."
Nontobeko Mtshali: The Star, 19 May 2009
SOUTH Africans need not panic after the country's first case of swine flu was confirmed. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the country was not necessarily faced with a virulent disease, adding that people should take precautions ... but not panic. Motsoaledi said his department was prepared and had measures in place to handle the H1N1 influenza virus, adding that the World Health Organisation (WHO) team had assessed our equipment and said it was up to international standards.
The first case of swine flu was confirmed in the country on Thursday. Laboratory test results confirmed that a 12-year-old boy who arrived at the OR Tambo International airport from the United States on Sunday had the virus. The boy had since been discharged from hospital and was recovering in isolation at his home. His family members were also given "necessary advice and treatment".
Attempts were still being made to locate passengers on the plane that might have had close contact with the boy.
The department declined to release the name of the airline on which the infected boy had travelled into the country. The WHO gave the Health Department a thumbs up, saying they were confident about the country's preparedness to handle the swine flu virus.
Professor Maurizio Babeschi the WHO was absolutely confident that South Africa could handle it. He said that the way they were handling it and being transparent about it was very positive. The difficulty, however, was that it was impossible to screen passengers before they boarded planes in their countries because an infected person might not necessarily show symptoms immediately. OR Tambo International Airport was working closely with airlines travelling into the country to ensure the airport was alerted on time of passengers with swine flu-like symptoms.
Cabin crew of all airlines travelling into the country had been told to notify the operational centre at the OR Tambo airport if they spotted a passenger with likely symptoms. These suspected flu cases would have to then wear masks before being taken to the operational centre, which had a doctor and four nurses. From there, they would be transported to a nearby hospital for further assessment and treatment.
SAPA, 19 June 2009
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