Food services staff at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital claim that food preparation guidelines and menus designed by the hospital's dieticians are not followed. Sometimes, patients are served rotten food.
Read More » Bara serves patients rotten food
Taking stock of the country's performance in addressing AIDS, Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, noted that over about 20 million South Africans have tested for HIV in the last two years and that HIV transmission from mother to child has dropped to below 3%. But Motsoaledi cautioned that much still needs to be done.
Read More » Counting progress on AIDS response
If undiagnosed and untreated for a long time, HIV infection can trigger off a dormant virus called cytomegalovirus (CMV), which can lead to blindness. Cytomegalovirus is the most common cause of blindness in people who have HIV.
Read More » AIDS can lead to blindness
This past week the national Health Department announced that as from April 2013, AIDS patients will start taking one antiretroviral pill a day that combines the compounds of all three ARVs they need for effective treatment. This has been lauded as making AIDS treatment simple and convenient.
Read More » Simplifying AIDS treatment
It is estimated that more than 500 million people worldwide will have diabetes in 20 years' time. As World Diabetes day was commemorated last week, people have been warned to take better care of their health by reducing their risk of getting diabetes.
Read More » Diabetes, a ticking time bomb
The Gauteng Health Department is delaying the announcement of findings of a forensic investigation into suspected financial irregularities at the provincial medicines supplies depot in Auckland Park, Johannesburg. The investigation was commissioned in the hope that the investigation will uncover financial corruption and help reduce the costs associated with the depot's services.
Read More » Gauteng delay tactics on medicines depot findings
The launch of the Joint Public Health Enhancement Fund last week is a rare occurrence in the history of South Africa's health care. The Fund illustrates that in a climate of tough economic times and international donor fatigue, local private sector funds are sorely needed if South Africa is to improve its health outcomes.
Read More » Partnership shows new ways to support health
About 500 000 people are expected to benefit from a US$30million global project aimed at addressing non-communicable diseases. The project will be rolled out in four countries, including South Arica, and will have a special focus on diabetes.
Read More » Fighting the scourge of non-communicable diseases
Despite knowing the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of a child's life, many new mothers often encounter challenges that prevent them from breast-feeding.
Read More » Challenges of breastfeedingA unique partnership launched this week between the private health sector and the national Health Department will result in more student doctors being trained, the strengthening of health management education and training and the funding of local research in TB and HIV and AIDS.
Read More » Private sector aid for public healthFrom now on, new hospital CEOs and other high-level managers responsible for health care delivery in South Africa will undergo specialised training in health care management.
Read More » Academy to improve the health service
About 35% or 500 out of 100 000 strokes that occur in South Africa every year can now be prevented. This is thanks to a new drug registered for use in the country this week for the prevention and management of strokes in people with a heart condition known as Atrial Fibrillation.
Read More » Hope for stroke prevention
The CEO of Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johanna More, has unexpectedly given notice that she will leave her position next month. Her position was one of 90 hospitals CEO positions nationally that the Health Minister was looking to fill with suitably qualified people.
Read More » Bara Hospital CEO leaving
Government's HIV/AIDS programme is bearing fruit, with fewer deaths now than in 2006. And older people are now dying, not young people in the prime of their lives, according to the Census released yesterday.
Read More » Census findings on health
Despite reports of broken equipment such as cat scans at Leratong Hospital and the cancellation of operations because of a shortage of sterilisation products at Helen Joseph Hospital, the Gauteng health department says health services are improving.
Read More » Gauteng health dept says it’s recovering
