The National Health Insurance (NHI) is not a radical shift to dismantle a functioning system, but an opportunity to review two poorly functioning ones.
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The NHI debate is stuck in the weeds
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‘Suspicious’ fires at Durban hospital – Arson investigation to be done
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Two fires broke out on different floors of Durban’s Addington hospital on October 4 2018.
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The National Health Insurance: Running Before Crawling – The need for objective reassessment of the pilot phase
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In Part I of the series on health reform and the draft National Health Insurance Bill (NHI Bill), the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CFCR) argued that considering the anticipated costs of the NHI and lack of crucial detail, South Africa needs to urgently assess alternative models to address the healthcare crisis. In Part II, the CFCR assesses the lack of information on the results of the NHI pilot phase, which is supposed to inform the further roll-out of the NHI.
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The Showdown at the UN: SA takes on the US for cheaper drugs
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When the US went to bat for Big Pharma in the fight against this killer disease, South Africa wasn’t having any of it. Here’s what happened next.
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Bonitas:- Price hike and big changes for medical aid plans in 2019
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Medical aid scheme Bonitas is to increase prices across its various plans by a weighted average of 8.9% in 2019 – while also launching two new lower-cost plans.
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ATM pharmacy launches in Bloemfontein (Free State)
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Twin City Mall in Bloemfontein is the newest site for the innovative ATM pharmacy that gives patients with chronic illnesses repeat medication in under five minutes.
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Why is alcohol withdrawal so hard on some people, the genes may hold the answer
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Some heavy drinkers suffer intense withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop drinking – some, less so. A new Yale-led international study of individuals with alcohol dependence has identified gene variants that may help explain why “detox” from alcohol is particularly difficult for some people.
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A Gauteng hospital to be rebuilt for R1.3 billion
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Civil society organisations say that the cash-strapped province should rather save money and renovate the abandoned Kempton Park hospital.
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Looking at some South Africa hospital horrors
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South Africa´s recent spate of hospital horror stories and the sharp rise in cases of medical negligence are disturbing with medical negligence claims against provincial the country´s Health Departments increasing by around 25 per cent per year between 2011 and 2016.
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It’s now 90 years ago that Penicillin was discovered – and despite resistance, the future looks good for antibiotics
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When the NHS turned 70 this year, I was reminded of another anniversary which has had an enormous impact on healthcare over many years. Penicillin is 90 this year.
Discovered in September 1928 by Alexander Fleming, it was first used as a cure when George Paine treated eye infections with it in 1930.
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