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SAMA Submission on the COIDA Bill

SAMA requested urgent feedback from its members on 12 February 2021 and 16 February 2021 with regard to the proposed amendments in the COIDA Bill. 

Of particular concern was clause 43, which would be amending Section 73 of the Act.  The amendment will have a catastrophic impact on injured workers as well as the doctors, surgeons, hospitals, and so forth, if it was to be implemented.

We sincerely thank SAMA members for their valuable contributions and provide you with the final submission which was handed in to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour on 19 February 2021.  

The full submission can be viewed by following the link - https://www.samedical.org/file/1495

Clinical Updates in the Management of COVID-19: Perspectives from a Front-Line Clinician

Date:
Friday, 26 February | 11.00

Webinar Title:
Clinical Updates in the Management of COVID-19: Perspectives from a Front-Line Clinician

Moderator:
Dr Norbert Ndjeka Director: Drug-Resistant TB, TB & HIV National TB Control & Management Cluster National Department of Health

Guest Speaker:
Dr Jennifer Furin M.D., Ph.D. Lecturer: Harvard Medical School Associate Professor of Medicine: University Hospitals of Cleveland

Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email with details on how to join the webinar.

Please share the registration link above with colleagues and your network.

We look forward to engaging with you at the webinar.

For queries or technical assistance, please email info@knowledgehub.org.za

Regards

Dr Norbert Ndjeka, Gcinile Buthelezi, Thabile Msila and the Knowledge Hub training team
NDOH Knowledge Hub

Call for SAMA membership comments on SAMA Draft Documents - Human Rights Law and Ethics Committee (HRLE)

The SAMA Human Rights Law and Ethics (HRLE) Committee and the SAMA Knowledge Management, Research and Ethics Department (KMRED) are inviting comments to three draft documents which have been developed over the last year:

• SAMA Draft statement on Electronic Health Records
• SAMA Draft Statement on Telehealth
• SAMA Draft Guidelines on Impaired Medical Practitioners

All draft documents are available for download and for upload of documents, comments and inputs from Thursday 25 February 2021 to Friday 25 March 2021. All documents are draft and considered working documents to be amended according to member feedback and changes to existing policy and law.

The Documents are available to members within the SAMA Members' area on the SAMA website at: https://www.samedical.org/client/document-comment

On this page, you will be able to view, and download the draft document as well as upload any additional documents AND include your own comments.

You will only be able to access and participate in the commentary process if you are a current SAMA member and registered on the website.

If you need to register on the website and don't yet have a profile, you may do so at: https://www.samedical.org/register

If you have forgotten your login password, you may reset your password at: https://www.samedical.org/forgot-password

The HRLE and the KMRED Team thank you for your time and effort in contributing to SAMA policies and guidelines.

SAMA Condemns the issuing of Circular 4 of 2021 by the Limpopo Department of Health

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) is aware of a Circular issued by the Department of Health in Limpopo on the implementation of standardised shift rosters. This Circular is set to be implemented effective from the 1st of March 2021.

As an organisation representing members' interest we are challenging the validity of the Circular thus do not condone the implementation in this regard. The Circular is not only irrelevant to Medical Doctors but also amounts to a Unilateral change of conditions of employment due to lack of any prior consultation and negotiation with those affected.

We invite members from other provinces to send us any queries relating to their conditions of employment. Members are also urged to send any query and/or comments in relation to this Circular to labour@samedical.org

Department of Health Vaccination Roll-out Webinar

Due to the high demand for the provincial webinars on the J& J vaccination roll-out held on 16 February 2021, the Department of Health repeated their webinar on Saturday 20 February 2021 from 10h00-12h00 for those that were unable to logon or attend.

For those who were still unable to watch the repeat webinar, the full webinar is available online on the DoH YouTube Channel.

The full webinar is available on the YouTube Channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVcfteMNiP8

The National Department of Health (NDoH) and the South African Medical Research Council (MRC) scheduled a briefing session with all healthcare workers on the early access programme for J&J vaccine roll-out.

The purpose of these webinars is to provide information to health workers regarding the Early Access Programme for Covid-19 vaccination.

The briefing webinar session took place on Saturday 20th February 2021 from 10H00 – 12H00 (CAT). Webinar Agenda – Duration 2 hours

Reminder: The Essential Medicines List and Standard Treatment Guidelines App is being reformulated - but the STGs and EML are available on other platforms

As indicated in a circular issued in September 2020, the EML Clinical Guide application is currently being re-platformed. This has resulted in users being unable to access the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) and Essential Medicines List (EML) through the application. However, information was provided on how to access the STGs and EML using other platforms:

• National Department of Health (NDoH) website
• Knowledge Hub
• EMGuidance mobile application

1. Knowledge Hub:https://www.knowledgehub.org.za/elibrary/primary-healthcare-phc-standard-treatment-guidelines-and-essential-medicines-list-south
2. Ideal Clinic: https://www.idealhealthfacility.org.za/
3. EMGuidance: http://onelink.to/sy896k

Some KZN health workers have declined Covid-19 vaccine: health MEC

KwaZulu-Natal health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu says some health workers have refused to be vaccinated and won't be forced to do so.

South Africa rapidly vaccinates over 15,000 health workers

South Africa has vaccinated at least 15,388 health care workers in less than a week since the country rolled out its COVID-19 vaccination drive, the Health Ministry said Sunday. “South Africa is rapidly moving to protect its highly valued health care workers through the Sisonke Early Access Programme,” the ministry said in a statement.

#Covid-19: More Johnson & Johnson vaccines to arrive in South Africa this weekend

While South Africa continues to vaccinate healthcare workers against Covid-19, a second batch of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is set to arrive in the country on Saturday 27 February.

#Budget2021: Government allocates R10bn for vaccines

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni has announced that government is allocating more than R10 billion for the purchase and delivery of vaccines over the next two years.

Doctors warn against families bringing unhealthy food into hospitals

Hospital officials are growing concerned about the kinds of foods families for patients. Junk foods, processed foods and food high in refined sugar and saturated fats all make it into the ward and hinder healing, says one expert.

#Covid-19 vaccine: Behind the scenes health workers are in two minds

The registered nurse became a part of history on 17 February 2021, when she allowed a dose of Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine against the coronavirus to be injected into her body.

The ESSENTIAL MEDICAL REFERENCE

SAMAREC

The South African Medical Association - Postal Address-The South African Medical Association P O Box 74789,Lynnwood Ridge Pretoria 0040, South Africa
Physical address The South African Medical Association, Block F Castle Walk Corporate Park Nossob Street Erasmuskloof Ext3 Pretoria 0181, South Africa www.samedical.org

Other SAMA Services
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SAMA Committees

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