Biliary atresia: The profile, management and outcome of patients treated at a tertiary hospital in central South Africa
CONCLUSION: Late presentation, cholangitis and cessation of bile flow after an initial successful KPE, and socioeconomic challenges are issues of concern and had a detrimental influence on the outcome of BA in our study population. Implementing screening measures and education programmes at the primary healthcare level is essential to diagnose and refer BA patients timeously. Establishing support systems to assist socioeconomically disadvantaged patients will enable them to qualify for LT.PMID:38525639 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.845 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: E Brits S M Le Grange Source Type: research
LSD and psilocybin for chronic nociplastic pain: A narrative review of the literature supporting the use of classic psychedelic agents in chronic pain
S Afr Med J. 2023 Nov 6;113(11):22-26. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2023.v113i11.814.ABSTRACTHealthcare providers face the challenging task of managing patients who suffer from chronic nociplastic pain conditions. Pain is a multidimensional experience, and the current approach to managing people in chronic pain often fails to meet the needs of these patients. Novel ways of treating people who suffer from chronic nociplastic pain with classic psychedelic agents may offer a new lens through which to approach their pain. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin are both serotonergic agents with a long history of use in treating p...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J Van Der Walt R Parker Source Type: research
Evaluation of the impact of PEPFAR transition on retention in care in South Africa's Western Cape Province
CONCLUSION: When PEPFAR funding decreased in 2012, there was a decrease in RIC. To ensure the continuity of HIV care when a major funder withdraws sufficient and stable transition resources, investment in organisations that understand the local context, joint planning and co-ordination are required.PMID:38525641 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i1.810 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J Chiliza R Laing F G Feeley A T Brennan Source Type: research
Treating drug-resistant tuberculosis in an era of shorter regimens: Insights from rural South Africa
CONCLUSION: In a rural context, treating DR-TB amid limited resources and a high burden of HIV co-infection, we found that after considering controls, a short regimen was no different to a longer regimen in terms of success or mortality. Therefore, by alleviating burdens on multiple stakeholders, a short regimen is likely to be favourable for rural patients, clinicians, and healthcare systems. Besides other previously described correlates of outcomes, HIV viraemia emerged as a novel marker for reliably predicting poor outcomes in DR-TB with HIV co-infection, and a pragmatic target for intervention.PMID:38525642 | DOI:10.71...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J-D K Lotz J Porter H Conradie T Boyles B Gaunt S Dimanda D Cort Source Type: research
Guidance for the gastrointestinal evaluation and management of iron deficiency in Sub-Saharan Africa
CONCLUSION: The recommendations incorporate six areas, namely: general recommendations and practice, Helicobacter pylori, coeliac disease, suspected small bowel bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, and preoperative care. Implementation of the recommendations is aimed at various levels from individual practitioners to healthcare institutions, departments and regional, district, provincial and national platforms. It is intended that the recommendations spur the development of centre-specific guidelines and that they are integrated with the relevant patient blood management protocols. Integration of the recommendations is in...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: W M Simmonds Y Awuku C Barrett M Brand K Davidson D Epstein E Fredericks S Gabriel S Grobler C Gounden L Katsidzira V J Louw V Naidoo C Noel E Ogutu N Ramonate N Seabi M Setshedi J Van Zyl G Watermeyer C Kassianides Source Type: research
The current standard of care of inflammatory bowel disease
S Afr Med J. 2024 Mar 18;114(3):e1792. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1792.ABSTRACT-.PMID:38525569 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1792 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J Wright Source Type: research
Is ableism still entrenched in the medical profession in South Africa?
S Afr Med J. 2024 Feb 13;114(2):e1766.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525570 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: S N Whitehead H Kathard T Lorenzo S L Amosun Source Type: research
Genetic screening of South African families with Parkinson's disease
S Afr Med J. 2024 Feb 13;114(2):e1750. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1750.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38525571 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1750 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: S Bardien A Braun R Van Coller F Hassan Amod J Carr S Moosa Source Type: research
Contribution of a bonded scholarship scheme to staffing rural health facilities
CONCLUSION: The UYDF Scholarship Scheme has shown that investment in rural students through a bonded scholarship can contribute to staffing rural PHCFs, as >90% of graduates worked at rural PHCFs, and for some disciplines >70% of graduates worked for ≥5 years at a rural PHCF. Allied HCPs worked on average for longer periods at rural PHCFs than doctors.PMID:38525572 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1608 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: R G MacGregor A J Ross Source Type: research
South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare - where to next?
This article examines potential scenarios after the Bill is passed and ways in which UHC could be advanced. It begins with an overview of the trajectory of health system reform since 1994, then examines the scenarios that may emerge once the Bill is passed by Parliament and makes a case for finding ways in which UHC could be advanced within the country, regardless of any legal or financial barriers that may delay or limit NHI implementation.PMID:38525573 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1571 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: G Solanki T Wilkinson N G Myburgh J E Cornell V Brijlal Source Type: research
Lower respiratory tract infection admissions and deaths among children under 5 years in public sector facilities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2019 - 2021)
CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 surges and their associated measures were linked to declining LRTI admissions and in-facility deaths, likely driven by a combination of reduced infectious disease transmission and reduced use of healthcare services, with effects diminishing over time. These findings may inform future pandemic response policies.PMID:38525574 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1560 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: K Kehoe E Morden N Zinyakatira A Heekes H E Jones S R Walter T Jacobs J Murray H Buys M T Redaniel M-A Davies Source Type: research
Experience on postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling to ascertain the cause of death determination in South African children: A case for implementing as standard of care
S Afr Med J. 2024 Feb 13;114(2):e1538. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1538.ABSTRACTDetermining the death burden for prioritising public health interventions necessitates detailed data on the causal pathways to death. Postmortem minimally invasive tissue sampling (MITS), incorporating histology, molecular and microbial culture diagnostics, enhances cause-of-death attribution, particularly for infectious deaths. MITS proves a valid alternative to full diagnostic autopsies, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Soweto, South Africa (SA), the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) programme has...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: J Du Toit K Storath I Dunn P Makekeng M Moosa K Mothibi N Umuneza C A Rees D Blau S Lala Y Adam S Velaphi M Hale P Swart J Wadula L Mothibi A Wise V Baba P Jaglal S Mahtab S Madhi Z Dangor Source Type: research
Early Online: Vol. 114 No. 4
S Afr Med J. 2024 Mar 20;114(3):e1531. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i4.1531.ABSTRACTMaternal healthcare in South Africa faces huge private and public health systems challenges. A key challenge for policy makers is how to address the inappropriate patterns of obstetric care in the private sector and how to mobilise private sector resources to serve the broader population dependent on the public sector, without replicating those patterns of inappropriate care. Developing and implementing new obstetric care models that address these challenges and lend themselves to public private engagements could play a vital role in efforts ...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: G C Solanki T Doherty V Brijlal E Daviaud S Fawcus Source Type: research
The role of new hepatitis B vaccines in South Africa
S Afr Med J. 2024 Feb 13;114(2):e1473. doi: 10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i2.1473.ABSTRACTVaccination is key to eliminating hepatitis B virus infection in South Africa (SA). Despite introducing immunisation in 1995, as part of the expanded programme of immunisation (EPI), hepatitis B virus infection remains endemic, and EPI vaccine coverage is incomplete. In addition to infants, non-immune adults at risk of infection through their occupation or with behavioural risk factors should receive vaccination. SA has many individuals with diabetes mellitus (a prevalence of almost 13%), obesity, HIV (8.45 million) or older age (5 million &g...
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: G U Van Zyl T Maponga H Rabie J Taljaard Source Type: research
Cryoballoon ablation for atrial fibrillation in South Africa: One-year outcome from the Cryo Global Registry
CONCLUSION: CBA standard-of-care procedures in SA resulted in a high clinical freedom from arrhythmia recurrence, with a low risk of safety events within 12 months post ablation. In addition, participants experienced an improvement in QoL and high freedom from healthcare utilisation at 12 months. The obtained results will be important for guiding clinical decisions around CBA in SA.PMID:38525578 | DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1338 (Source: South African Medical Journal)
Source: South African Medical Journal - March 25, 2024 Category: African Health Authors: A Stanley K A Van Bragt V Obidigbo B Vezi Source Type: research
