War over healthcare

Legislation aimed at stabilising medical schemes has run into heavy flak, reports Belinda Beresford.

Govt considers value of grants in tough economic times

The government is considering increasing the value of social grants in order to soften the blow of high food prices.

Zuma: Rising food prices a time bomb

The rising cost of food is a time bomb that could result in uprisings, African National Congress president Jacob Zuma told the World Economic Forum on Africa on Thursday.

Govt mulls food vouchers for poor households

The government is looking at giving food vouchers or cash to poor households to help them cope with spiralling food prices. "We're looking at a range of options ... such as food vouchers, [as well as] increasing cash transfers in the case of people already on the social-assistance programme," Social Development Director General Vusi Madonsela said on Monday.

Give the public access to private healthcare, says govt

Private health facilities should be more accessible to the general public, Health Department Director General Thami Mseleku said on Friday. Speaking at a primary healthcare conference in Boksburg, he suggested a system that provides for the government to refund private hospitals and clinics for treating patients without medical funds.

Govt reluctant to probe Rath, court told

The Department of Health has shown a decided lack of enthusiasm for investigating the activities of vitamin entrepreneur Matthias Rath, the Cape High Court was told on Wednesday. "The government has failed completely in its ... duties to protect the health of the public," said Geoff Budlender, advocate for the Treatment Action Campaign.

Dilemma as SA faces drug resistant TB epidemic

A guard in a surgical mask patrols a wire fence designed to keep dozens of patients with a lethal form of tuberculosis at Cape Town's Brooklyn Chest hospital isolated from the rest of the world. Sufferers of extreme drug resistant tuberculosis, a near untreatable strain, battle boredom, depression and the side-effects of a daily palmful of pills.

Health Dept points to possible decline in HIV infections

South Africa was experiencing a possible decline of new HIV infections, Health Director General Thami Mseleku said on Wednesday. Speaking on the same day as the release of a United Nations report stating that South Africa had the highest prevalence of HIV in the world, Mseleku said there were signs that there was a turnaround in the number of new infections.

Will Public Protector probe Manto ads?

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has written to the Public Protector to complain about the Health Department's advertisements placed in various newspapers last week to protest against a judge's failure to interdict the Sunday Times over its reports on the medical records of Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang.

Manto newspaper ads meet stiff opposition

Full-colour advertisements placed in a number of national newspapers on Friday by the Health Department defending its Minister, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, were a waste of taxpayers' money, the Democratic Alliance said. The United Democratic Movement also criticised the advertisements.

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