Selling snake oil - 30 Jun 2008[Bridget Farham] Some years ago I wrote an editorial in the journal CME calling for Mathius Rath to be expelled from the country. That was at the start of his campaign of spreading misinformation and peddling snake oil as cures for HIV among the population of several South African townships. read more Know your drugs - 23 Jun 2008[Bridget Farham] The period 24 to 30 June is National Drug Awareness week - all too pertinent with the growing problem of addiction in South African society. Time was that we were relatively shielded from the horrors of drugs such as heroin and cocaine - ironically enough one of the few good effects of international isolation. read more 17 Jun 2008[Bridget Farham] Global warming may be a long way from most of our minds in the depths of winter, wherever you are in the country. But the reality of climate change is clear - winter rain in Joburg - long periods of drought in the Cape - and, as for Australia (where so many are rushing to go to) - climate change is such an important issue there that it forced a change of government. But climate change has other, more subtle, effects. read more 9 Jun 2008[Bridget Farham] Opening a newspaper in the mornings these days is a pretty depressing business. Rising fuel prices are stimulating higher prices generally and the use of agriculural land for biofuels is contributing to hunger around the world, as more and more people can simply no longer afford to put food on the table. read more 2 Jun 2008[Bridget Farham] The Department of Health are trying to push a new bill that will set up a central bargaining chamber for negotiations in private sector health industry pricing. As medical aids are now forced to cover certain prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs) there is concern that schemes may be exploited by service providers who know that these conditions have to be covered. Over the past few years private health care in South Africa has become concentrated among three major players - who account for about 80% of the market. read more 26 May 2008[Bridget Farham] I spent part of this morning at the refugee centre that has been set up at Soetwater recreation area, near Kommetjie - a pretty little village - near Cape Town. The refugee centre was set up to house Somalis who live in Masiphumelele, close by, and also people from DRC, Rwanda, Mozambique, Congo and Somalia who have been driven out of their homes in other areas of the city. There are new born babies in the centre, people who have TB and HIV who require treatment, people suffering from trauma - physical and mental - and because of the sheer numbers - the day to day medical problems that crop up in any population. read more 19 May 2008[Bridget Farham] This gloomy Monday, with the national newspapers carrying photographs that are reminiscent of the dark days of the 1980s, is perhaps a good time to remind everyone that the simple act of smiling can make you feel better. So it came as no surprise to me to see the study showing that a new therapy called yoga laughter can reduce blood pressure. read more 12 May 2008[Bridget Farham] New laws are about to give the Minister of Health, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang enormous control over the regulation of drugs in South Africa. The Medicines and Related Substances Emendment (sic) Bill will abolish the Medicines Control Council (MCC) and replace it with the South Arfican Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra). read more 5 May 2008[Bridget Farham] Hypertension is often called the 'silent killer' - silent because it has few symptoms - killer because uncontrolled hypertension is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This week's edition of The Lancet contains a review of the global burden of hypertension. read more 25 Apr 2008[Bridget Farham] Today is the first ever World Malaria Day. It is described as a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world - a day to make the world care. What does malaria mean to most people who read this newsletter? I may be maligning some of you, but I would guess that for most it is an inconvenience that means that you have to take anti-malarial prophylaxis when you visit malarial areas - a bit of a nuisance, but nothing too serious. read more 21 Apr 2008[Bridget Farham] Last week my father was admitted to hospital with an infected, gangrenous toe. He is being operated on today - to remove the toe and to open up the blood supply to the foot so that the problem doesn't recur. read more 14 Apr 2008[Bridget Farham] Food and fuel prices are rising around the world and there is no sign of the increase slowing, according to a report in today's Business Times. For many of us this is little more than a minor irritation, made worse by the recent rise in the repo rate, stimulated by increasing inflation as a result of these rises. read more 7 Apr 2008[Bridget Farham] Vaccines are one of medicine's success stories. In the developed world, routine childhood vaccination saves millions of children from illness and potentially death each year. read more 31 Mar 2008[Bridget Farham] As the rhetoric about the Zimbabwe elections and who has won (impossible to tell) dominate our newspapers over the next few days, let's not forget the systematic errosion of health and human rights that has characterised that poor country over the past few years. An editorial in The Lancet this week reports that violence and torture have escalated to an alarming degree. read more 25 Mar 2008[Bridget Farham] The 24th March is my husband's birthday - it is also World TB Day - not a day that most people know about, I suspect. However, TB is a growing global problem. read more |
