The US Justice Department has announced that it has halted a massive series of healthcare fraud schemes. These schemes aimed at defrauding the federal government of an estimated $14.6 billion. This has resulted in charges against hundreds of individuals across the country. In what the department has called the largest healthcare fraud initiative in its history, the nationwide operation resulted…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
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USAID Funding Cuts Could Trigger 14 Million Deaths by 2030
Deep and ongoing USAID funding cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID), coupled with its potential dismantling, could result in more than 14 million additional deaths across the globe by 2030. This is according to new research. The study, published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet on Monday, 30 June, highlights the catastrophic human cost of the…
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New COVID-19 Variant No Threat to South Africa
While the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided from its peak, the virus continues to circulate and evolve globally. The recent designation of a new variant, NB.1.8.1, by the World Health Organisation (WHO) has sparked online discussion. South Africa’s leading scientists are urging calm while highlighting a more pressing local issue: vaccine accessibility. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed…
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Substandard Cancer Drugs in Africa Are A Serious Concern
A groundbreaking investigation across four African nations has uncovered a disturbing truth: a significant portion of cancer medications are substandard or counterfeit. This leaves vulnerable patients with treatments that may be ineffective or even harmful. The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, sheds light on a critical and previously unmeasured gap in pharmaceutical regulation on the continent. It highlights…
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Unemployed Doctors Struggle Amid Workforce Shortages
A significant investment in South Africa’s future healthcare has been left in limbo. Hundreds of newly qualified, state-funded doctors are unable to find employment in the public sector. These unemployed doctors face challenges as they struggle to secure positions despite the urgent need in medical institutions. In the Free State alone, more than 20 doctors trained in Cuba under the…
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Biovac Secures Deal to Produce Pneumonia Vaccine
In a significant move for continental health security, Cape Town-based research group Biovac has announced a major technology transfer agreement with Indian pharmaceutical firm Biological E. The Biovac initiative will enable the company to produce and distribute a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV14) across Africa. This marks a vital step towards self-sufficiency in vaccine manufacturing. The partnership will accelerate the growth…
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Bestmed’s Innovative AI Solution Against Fraud
Bestmed Medical Scheme, South Africa’s fourth-largest open medical scheme, is preparing to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into its systems. This initiative aims to combat the growing scourge of fraudulent claims plaguing the healthcare industry. Protecting members’ funds and ensuring the scheme’s long-term sustainability amidst rising operational pressures are also goals. Bestmed CEO and Principal Officer Leo Dlamini confirmed that the…
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Fears of Disease Outbreaks as Global Child Vaccination Rates Stall
Global childhood immunisation is faltering due to inequality, COVID-19, and misinformation, a new study in The Lancet warns. Millions of children are now at risk from preventable diseases like measles, threatening decades of public health progress. Researchers have issued a stark new warning. Global efforts to vaccinate children against deadly diseases are faltering, putting millions of young lives at risk.…
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Road Accident Fund under Investigation by SCOPA
Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) has officially launched a formal inquiry into the deeply troubled finances of the Road Accident Fund (RAF). The decision comes as the RAF grapples with serious allegations of corruption. An explosive internal power struggle has reached the High Court. The parliamentary probe follows a deluge of whistleblower reports and complaints alleging widespread maladministration,…
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Zimbabwe flu outbreak mimics COVID-19
The Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Kwidini, has sought to calm growing public anxiety over a nationwide flu outbreak. This flu exhibits symptoms strikingly similar to those of COVID-19. Consequently, there are concerns about a potential Zimbabwe flu outbreak. Kwidini confirmed that while a significant wave of influenza is affecting many across the country, there is…
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Child Mortality Crisis and the Gates Foundation’s Pledge
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced it will commit $1.6 billion over the next five years. This funding aims to support Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in its mission to immunise the world’s most vulnerable children. The initiative addresses the ongoing child mortality crisis. The pledge comes ahead of a crucial fundraising event in Brussels. It is positioned as…