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PrivatePracticeReview(2)August2020 Viewinwebbrowser
NOTICEPrivatePracticeReviewpresentsthereaderwithasummaryofthemostrelevantbreakingnewsinthelocaland
globalhealthcareindustry,asobtainedfrommediasources,includingthepublicbroadcaster,independenttelevisionbroadcasters,independentnewsagencies,newspapers,radioandnewssites.HealthManstrivestoquotethe
OriginalSource.HealthMancompilesthisinformationtoprovidethereaderwithabriefoverviewofthemostrecenteventsanddevelopmentsastheyarereportedinthemedia.TheviewsandopinionsexpressedinPrivatePractice
ReviewarethoseoftheauthorsofthemediasourcesanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheviewsoropinionsofHealthMan,itsdirectors,employeesandassociates.
InthisNewsletterFoodforThoughtNewsonGovernmentFinancialNewsPharmaceuticalNews
GeneralNewsNewsonMedicalSchemesCMSCircularsSpecialNotes
FOODFORTHOUGHT
COVID-19haswipedoutathirdofSouthAfrica’s
middleclass
OnAugust25,BusinesstechreportedtheUnitedNationsDevelopmentProgramme(UNDP)/thatSA’soverallGDPisexpectedtodeclinebyatleast5.1%andupto7.9%.in2020.Itisexpectedtorecoverslowlythrough2024.Thiswillleadtomajorsetbacksinaddressingpoverty,unemploymentandinequality,accordingtotheUNDP’slateststudy
onthesocio-economicimpactofCOVID-19inthecountry.
Researchhasfoundthatupto34%ofhouseholdsarelikelytoexitthemiddleclassintovulnerability.
“Whilegovernmentsocialprotectiongrantstendtotargetthepoorest,thisstudyposits
thatcareandsupportneedstobeprovidedtothoseattheborderlineofthepovertyline,suchasthevulnerablemiddleclass,toreducetheirlikelihoodofslippingintopoverty.”
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EDITORIALNOTE:2-mmightnotbeabletopaytheirmedicalaids
Accordingtoresearchbytheeconomicadvisorygroup,Econex(2017),almost2-mSouthAfricanswouldnotbeabletopaytheirmonthlymedicalaidifgovernmentredirectedmedicaltaxcreditstofinanceitsNationalHealthInsurance.In2015/2016,principalmembersreceivedR270permonthintaxcreditsforprincipalmembership.In2014/15thetotalamountpaidtotheprincipalmembersofmedicalschemesintheformofmedicalschemetaxcreditswasapproximatelyR18.5-bn-aR3,240taxreturnforasinglemedicalaidmember.
Responsestopandemichavebeen‘feardriven’
“TheWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)andmostcountriesfailedtotaketoheartcrucialhistoricallessonsofglobalinfluenzapandemicsandbotchedtimeoustravelshutdowns,aswellastheprotectionofvulnerablepopulations,”accordingtoProfessorRobinWood(CEOoftheDesmondTutuHealthFoundationandmemberoftheUniversityofCape
Town’sInstituteforInfectiousDiseaseandMolecularMedicine)-MedicalBrief(17August2020).
“Instead,theirresponseswerefeardriven,withpoliticianscherry-pickingdatafrom
exaggeratedpredictivemodelsofinfectionandmortality,”saidProfWoodinaWebinar.
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COVID-19:LATESTFIGURES:Monday,31stAugust2020
IncompetenceresultsinmedicineshortagesTheincompetenceofstaffattheMmabathoMedicalDepotinNorthWestisblamedfor
ongoingmedicineshortagesattheprovince’shospitals.Duringaraidonthedepot,healthofficialsdiscoveredunpaidinvoices–somedatingbackto2014-stuffedinto
cupboards.TheNorthWestprovincialhealthdepartmentisnowforcedtouseitsmedicinereservesbecausethedepotfailedtopaynearly50suppliers.
NEWSONGOVERNMENT
R5-bnlinkedtoCOVID-19procurementcorruption
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SouthAfrica‘spandemiccorruptionscandalcontinuestogrow,withR5-bnoftheR10.38-bnspentinreliefeffortsnowunderinvestigation,reportedMedicalBrief.
(27August2020).
InGautengalone,severalcompanies-paidmillionsbytheprovincialgovernmentforC-19supplies-werepreviouslyregisteredonthecentralsupplierdatabasetoprovidegoodsandservicesthathavenoapparentlinktothehealthsector.
(ThenamesoffiveofthesecompanieswerepublishedbyNews24).
RamaphosaorderedtheSpecialInvestigationUnion(SIU)tolookintoallegationsofcorruptionaroundthegovernment’sspendingtowardsthefightagainstthecoronavirus,
includingchargesofimproprietyingivingtenders.AccordingtoSIUhead,advocateAndyMothibi,someserviceprovidersreceivedpaymentsevenbeforetheydidanywork.
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Mkhizepublishes45COVID-19advisories
OnAugust27,45scientificadvisories–commissionedby
HealthMinisterZweleMkhizeduringtheCOVID-19pandemic-werepublishedonthegovernment’sofficial
COVID-19website.-BusinessDay(28August2020).
TherecommendationsincludeonesrelatingtoregulationswhichseeminglydidnotcorrelatewitheffortstoflattentheCOVID-19curve;adviceonthereopeningof
schools;COVID-19modelling;masstesting;theuseofclothmasks;asymptomaticinfections;theimpactofthehardlockdown;restrictionsonthesaleofalcoholtoreduce
thetraumaloadonhospitals;andeffortstoavoidapossibleresurgenceofthevirus.
OnJuly13,MkhizetoldthemediathattheguidanceprovidedbyhisMAConC-19wouldnotbepublishedbecausetheiradvicedidnotrepresentthegovernment’sfinalposition
ontheissuestheycovered.News24'sapplication(intermsofthePromotionofAcesstoInformationAct(PAIA))foraccesstomorethan70advisorieswasdenied.
Medicinestock-outsduetoincompetenceTheincompetenceofstaffattheMmabathoMedicalDepotinNorthWestisblamedfor
ongoingmedicineshortagesattheprovince’shospitals.Duringaraidonthedepot,healthofficialsdiscoveredunpaidinvoices–somedatingbackto2014-stuffedinto
cupboards.TheNorthWestprovincialhealthdepartmentisnowforcedtouseitsmedicinereservesbecausethedepotfailedtopaynearly50suppliers.
FINANCIALNEWS
Dis-Chemexperiencedboomingonlinesalesduringlockdown
Dis-ChemPharmaciesannouncedthatitsonlinesaleshasgrownby334%fromMarch1toAugust15.Thegroupreportedrevenuegrowthof8.8%toR11.7-bn,
comparedwithlastyear.
Dis-Chem'sretailrevenueincreasedby6.3%toR10.4-bn,comparedwithlastyearwhilecomparablesalesgrowthwas1.5%.COVID-19relatedproductsrepresentedabout9%
oftotalretailsalesand13.8%offrontshopsales.Dis-ChemlostR200-minrevenueduringthehardlockdowninAprilbecauseoftradingrestrictions,despitefallingintothe
categoryofanessentialserviceprovider.
AdvancedHealthin'badhealth'
AdvancedHealthCEO,GerhardvanEmmenis,confirmedthatthegrouphasthreefacilitiesforsale:AdvancedVergelegeninSomersetWest,WesternCape;AdvancedMedgateRoodepoortandAdvancedSowetoDayHospital.
Thegroup’sunder-performinghasbeenseverelyimpactedbytheCOVID-19lockdownastherewerenoelectivesurgeries,decreasingthegroup’sincomebyabout90%.DaysurgeryisAdvancedHealth’sbread-and-butter,saidVanEmmenis.
StiffcompetitionfromSA’sbiggestprivatehospitals,Netcare,MediclinicandLifeHealthcare,hasworsenedthesituation.
VitaminsalesgetCOVID-19boost
AccordingtoJullietteMorrisson,marketingexecutiveforVitalHealthcare,suppliersofvitaminsandnutritionalsupplementsarebattlingtomeettheincreaseddemandfortheirproducts.TheCOVID-19pandemiccausedasharpincreaseinsales,resultinginshortages,inespeciallyzincandVitaminC,saidMorrisson.
VitalHealthcareisspendingalotmoreonmanufacturing,duetotheincreaseinrawmaterialpricesandtheneedtoair-freightmaterialstoSA.
Theadditionalexpenditureonpersonalprotectiveequipmentandadjustmentsinthemanufacturingplantandindeliveryhavealsohadanimpactoncosts.
PHARMACEUTICALNEWS
Increaseinmedicineprices?DrugmakersarelobbyingtheHealthDepartmentforanurgentmid-yearincreaseinmedicinepricestooffsetaweakerrand,whichispushingupthecostofimportsand
squeezingprofitmargins.-BusinessDay,26August2020
WitslaunchesSA'ssecondC-19trial
WitsUniversityhaslauncheditssecondCOVID-19vaccinetrial,testinganexperimentalshotmadebyUSbiotechcompanyNovavax.Thetrialhasreceiveda$15-m(aboutR261-m)grantfromtheBill&MelindaGatesFoundation.Thephase2btrialoftheshot,calledNVX-CoV2373,willenrolabout2900adultvolunteers,including240whoareHIV-positive,”reportedTimesLive(19August2020).
MeanwhilescientistsatCapeTown’sGrooteSchuurHospitalhavestartedaphase3trial,investigatingthepotentialofthedrugNitazoxanidetotreatCOVID-19.Nitazoxanidewasdiscoveredinthe1980sandisnolongerunderpatent.Itislicensedinmanycountriesfortreatingdiarrhoeacausedbyparasiticinfections,butisnotavailableinSouthAfrica.
SA’sfirstC-19antibodytestsnowavailable
OnAugust24,News24reportedthatSouthAfricanscannowpayforprivatemedicalscreenings–antibodytests–todetectiftheyhavebeenexposedtothecoronavirus.ThisfollowstheSAHealthProductsRegulatoryAuthority's(SAHPRA)announcementfivemonthsagothatthetestswouldbe“expedited”inthefightagainstC-19.TheMinistryofHealthhasnotyetrespondedtoquestionsregardingthelegalisationofthetests.
TheonlytestscurrentlyauthorisedfordiagnosingCOVID-19arelaboratory-basedpolymerasechainreaction(PCR)teststhatdetectfragmentsofSARS-CoV-2,thevirusthatcausesCOVID-19.
SAHPRACEO,BoitumeloSemete,saidnoSARS-CoV-2testkitshavebeenauthorisedforhomeuse,andtheycouldnotlegallybesolddirectlytothepublic.
'Lowqualityevidence'thatplasmatherapyworksAlthoughtheUSFoodandDrugAdministration(FDA)hasissuedemergency
authorisationfortheuseofrecoveredC-19patients’plasmainordertotreatotherC-19patients,theWorldHealthOrganisation(WHO)hasnotendorsedit,sayingevidencethat
itiseffectiveremainsof“lowquality”andnotconvincing.Evidenceisconflicting:AChinesestudyshowedplasmafrompeoplewhohave
recoveredfromcoronavirusfailedtomakeadifferenceinhospitalisedpatients,whileanotherpooledanalysisshoweditcanlowertheriskofdeath,reportedReuters(25
August2020).
GENERALNEWS
CourtstopsNehawustrikeinitstracks
AplannednationwidestrikebyNationalEducation,HealthandAlliedWorkers’Union(NEHAWU)memberswasstoppedinitstracksaftertheNationalHealthLaboratoryServices(NHLS)obtainedaninterdictintheLabourCourtinJohannesburg,reportedCapeTimes(26August2020).
Around5000workershadplannedtodowntoolsoverabreakdowninsalarynegotiations(demandinganincreaseof11%);allegedfailurebytheNHLStoimplementproficiencyassessmentresults;thefillingofvacantpositions;andtheprovisionofpersonalprotectiveequipment(PPE).TheorderrestrainsNEHAWUfrompromotingorencouraginganystrikeaction,pendingthefinaldeterminationofthedispute.
FluwasallbuteliminatedinSouthAfricathisyear
"COVID-19hasmadealotofbadthingsworse,butSA’snear-totallackofafluseasonthisyearstandsoutasararepositiveeffect,reportedtheWashingtonPost(18August2020).
Thecountry’sNationalInstituteforCommunicableDiseases(NICD)hasthreelaboratoriesthatwouldnormallyrecordmorethan1000casesofflubetweenAprilandAugust.Asthe2020seasonends,theyhaverecordedjustone.
AccordingtoCherylCohen,wholeadsNICD’srespiratorydiseaseteam,itisunprecedentedtonotseeflu.Whilesomeexpertssaidpeoplewerestayinghomeandnotreportingmildsicknesses,theyallagreedthatSAhasbasicallyskippeditsfluseason,thankstothecoronavirus.
AviroHealthlaunchesmobileHIVtestathomeAviroHealth,astart-upsupportedbytheUniversityofPretoria’sTuksNovation,has
launchedaplatformthatofferspeopleaccesstoHIVself-testingresources.Theplatform,calledIthaka,alsosuppliespatientswiththeinformationtheyneedtoseek
treatmentandmanagetheircondition.IthakaistheresultofanongoingcollaborationbetweenAviroHealthandPopulationServicesKenya,whichisdistributingfreekitsvia
community-based,reportedTheStar(17August2020).AccordingtoDrMusaedAbrahams,chiefexecutiveofAviroHealth,COVID-19hasthepotentialtoshiftthewayinwhichpublichealthisdelivered,includingthewayinwhich
HIVtestingisoffered.
NEWSONMEDICALSCHEMES
Bonitasbracesitselffortoughroadahead
“BonitasMedicalFundisbracingitselfforachallengingperiodandanticipateshavingtocontendwithCOVID-19-relatedexpenditureinofmorethanR500-minthenext12to18
months,”reportedFin24(19August2020).AccordingtoBonitasCFO,LukeWoodhouse,medicalschemememberclaimshavedecreasedby20%sincethe
beginningofthelockdown.
DuetothelockdownSouthAfrica'sprivatehospitalsandmedicalaidshavehadtodealwithanunusuallyquiettime,aspeoplestayedawayfromfacilitiesandputtheirelective
surgeriesonholdoutoffearofcontractingCovid-19.
CircularsfromtheCMS
ThefollowingCircularswerepublishedbytheCMSinAugust2020.
54of2020COVIDFinancialReporting55of2020AuditorApprovals
56of2020IndustryUpdateonDevelopmentsforInsurersconductingthebusinessofMedicalSchemes
57of2020HealthTechnologyAssessments(HTAs)performedbyandchargedforbyManagedCareOrganisations
58of2020QuarterlyStatutoryReturnsSubmissionfor2020(Q2)
59of2020AuditorApprovals
SPECIALNOTES
RaytonPractice
FullyequippedmedicalpracticeinRaytonforsale:
DrADLombard0817792933/0817970707.
Privatemedicalpractice(runningfor30years)forsale.Price:R1500000.00allincluded,withoutofficespace.Turnover:R2000000.00perannumminimum.
ConsultingroomsinRaymedCentre,nexttoRaytonPharmacy.Raytonisasmalltown,30kmeastofPretoria-servicesCullinanRayton,Refilwe,
Onverwacht,Kleinfonteinaswellaslargeruralareas..Electronicclaimsaswellasprescriptionsandclinicalrecordsinplace
Officespacetorent:approximately125sqm.
FormoreinformationonthePracticeinRayton,clickonthebuttonbelow
QualityapprovedKN95masksforsale
PRICEPERMASK:R18.72inclVATUNITPRICE(packof10):R187.20inclVATAVAILABILITYFROMPARTICIPATINGWHOLESALERS:KendonESTIMATEDDATEOFAVAILABILITY:From6AugustORDERSTOCKCODE:Z105029CONTACTNUMBER:0116081170CONTACTEMAIL:[email protected]
TreniteKN95mask-SAHPRAlicensedsupplier-FDA/CEvalidatedcertification-ChineseNationalAccreditationServiceforConformityAssessmentTestreport-SABSinspectionreport-SANS50149approvedtestreport(Protcechnik)
ToadvertiseinPrivatePracticeReviewpleasecontact:[email protected]
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