South African Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has publicly presented a National Health Insurance (NHI) white paper. The plan, already approved by South Africa’s cabinet ministers, aims to achieve health coverage for all South Africans. The establishment of the NHI Fund, financed by mandatory contributions from all citizens and permanent residents, means those in need will be able to purchase services from public and private health providers, guaranteeing access for all citizens and permanent residents without further payment. The plan will also set new limits on the services private medical insurers can provide.Continue reading→

A new body started this year with the ambition to raise the quality and quantity of Africa’s research output, the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa or AESA, is launching a new initiative to develop continental standards and transparency in managing donor research funds in universities, research institutions and governments.
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Cenhealth has partnered with ER24 to use technology to speed up emergency response. This partnership will aim to close the gap between patient information and emergency services, saving crucial minutes by providing paramedics with rapid access to life-saving information.
CenHealth is a user-controlled platform which allows users to keep a digital version of their health records. Members open an online account and can store information ranging from their weight and height, to allergies, upload X-rays, vaccination records and keep a health diary of all their doctor’s appointments.
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Durban – The South African Medicines Control Council have approved the use of a drug that is set to revolutionise the prevention of HIV in the country.
The drug Truvada, which is administered in the form of a pill, was approved for use in November with the official announcement made on Tuesday.
Speaking to News24 about the drug, Department of Health Deputy Director General of HIV, TB and Women and Child Health, Dr Yogan Pillay said it was already used in combination with other medication for treatment of HIV, but has now been approved for use as prevention.
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The African Rights Initiative International (ARII), a non-profit, voluntary based International relief and development organization responsible for promoting human dignity and sustainable livelihood in Africa and beyond, has offered free medical services to over 5,000 people in 66 villages in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba; one of Ghana’s deprived districts in the Northern Region. Kalba, the largest village in the district, is close to the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso in the north and La Cote D’Ivoire in the west.Continue reading→

Forward China-Africa Cooperation On December 4 and 5 of this year, both Chinese and African people will witness a highlighted moment in the history of China-Africa relations as the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
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The second Biennial Scientific Conference on Medicines Regulation in Africa kicked off in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Monday to discuss poor drug quality which is a threat in the fight against many diseases on the continent.The two-day event is being attended by researchers, senior government officials, international development organizations and experts in medicine and health technology regulation.
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CHINA is to increase its investment in Africa and buy more products from the continent, an official said yesterday.
“China will export advanced industrial production capacity to African countries,” Vice Commerce Minister Qian Keming told a news briefing.
He said China would also diversify imports from the continent and buy more products in addition to the primary commodities, particularly natural resources, which account for the bulk of China-Africa trade at present.
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Ascendis Health has expanded its operation into the manufacture and distribution of branded generic prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines, with the purchase of Akacia Healthcare for R345 million.
Its product range includes probiotic brand Reuterina, which is ranked number one in the anti-diarrhoeal market with over 30% share, as well as Sinucon and Sinuend which are top three brands in the cold and flu market.
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South Africa has run short of medicines from prenatal iron supplements to HIV and TB medications this year. Now the Department of Health is working to change this.In an effort to combat medicine shortages, South Africa will roll out a first of its kind early warning system to identify drug stock outs before they happen. The move comes as country and makers of the antiretroviral Aluvia work to address shortages.Due to a mix of local and international problems, South Africa has run short of everything from prenatal iron supplements to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) medications this year.
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