Dear Colleagues

As South Africa enters Adjusted Alert Level 4 lockdown, the country is nowhere near the peak of the third COVID-19 wave with the situation in Gauteng being particularly tough. The sheer numbers of people being infected with the virus are simply overwhelming and are currently adding to the already challenging exhaustion level of our medical staff, both in the public and private sectors.

Burnout and general mental health remain one of our biggest challenges throughout. SAMA is in the process of partnering with some of our stakeholder organisations in providing some measure of support. Even if it is just to be able to talk to a professional when requiring some assistance in dealing with personal challenges and obtaining some coping tools to deal with the onslaught we are dealing with currently. We are looking at introducing this service to our members and medical professionals in general, within the next few days.

I am currently being overwhelmed with enquiries from colleagues and the public in regard to the false information about vaccines being spread on social media. Anyone who creates or spreads fake news about COVID-19 is liable for prosecution. For this reason, I want to urge all our members to please verify information before you share it. Currently the vaccination rollout is our only way to ensure positive outcomes and a way to deal with the pandemic.

While we are all dealing with the third wave, I just need to also remind all that the POPI Act will be implemented as from 1 July. This will have a significant impact on how we deal with information and we need to ensure compliance or face imminent fines. The registration of Information Officers has however received an extension. Something that has slipped through the cracks, maybe because it is not perceived as having a direct influence on our profession, is the implementation of the AARTO Demerit Point System. This is also scheduled to be implemented on 1 July.

Basically, for each offence, a driver will be allocated between one and six points – depending on the seriousness of the offence. A person who collects more than 15 points will have his or her driver’s license suspended for up to three months and may need to go through the whole learner driver testing again. We will need to see how this will influence our practices; it may require a relook at HR policies and insurance.

Confirmation was received from the Department of Health that there is no funding available for the midyear Intern placements. In terms of the Health Professions Act, the DoH has a duty to enrol eligible applicants in their positions for Internship. This matter is currently being investigated by our SAMA Legal Department and possible legal action on behalf of our members is being considered.

In conclusion, some good news. Following intervention from SAMA, MPC is currently integrating the CPD Management platform with the HPCSA system. This will enable seamless updates of CPD portfolios between healthcare practitioners and the HPCSA system. We are proactively monitoring the process to ensure it is complete as soon as possible without interruption. Our members can therefore look forward to less time spent trying to upload certificates, and have the peace of mind that attendance to CPD events will automatically reflect against their MP number with points being allocated accordingly.

Thank you for all your efforts and for the work you are doing during these trying times.

Be safe.

Yours in Solidarity

Dr Angelique Coetzee
SAMA: Chairperson

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Madiba Day- SAMA thanks all Healthcare workers and the fallen Heroes

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) will commemorate Mandela Day tomorrow, (Sunday, 18 July) by again highlighting the hard work and dedication of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mandela Day is celebrated annually on 18 July with the aim to encourage people to take action, inspire change and to make every day a Mandela Day.

“Healthcare workers across South Africa have worked against enormous odds to ensure continued quality care to patients. Many healthcare workers have also put their own lives and those of their families at risk, and many have worked long hours to ensure care for patients. We think of those fallen heroes, who had lost their lives through their selfless sacrifice to others who needed their services. We also want to pay tribute to them, especially. To acknowledge this, we commissioned a song to bring tribute to all healthcare workers,” says Dr Angelique Coetzee, Chairperson of SAMA. The song written, composed  and produced by award-winning artist Lloyd Cele is called Thank you (Caring for the Cares) and applauds healthcare workers for working tirelessly during the pandemic, as well as the recent riots, to fulfill their obligations to patients.

“Many healthcare workers are currently experiencing severe physical and mental exhaustion from working extremely long hours in difficult conditions. We believe that during the year, each and every healthcare worker in the country has genuinely exemplified Mandela Day by diligently doing their jobs. We want to give credit for this through this song,” says Dr Coetzee.

The song will be released via the SAMA website, SAMA YouTube channel and will be made available on all digital platforms.  

Click here to view the song.

SAMA condemns the arrest of medical doctors
 who are attending to medical emergencies out
of curfew hours

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) condemns in the strongest possible way the arrest of medical doctors who are attending to medical emergencies out of curfew hours. The issue was again brought to the fore with the arrest of Ear Nose and Throat Specialist Dr Ivan Jardine in Johannesburg last Friday, 16 July.

SAMA says Dr Jardine admitted he did not have a permit to travel outside of the curfew hours but says the fact that, as a doctor, he was travelling to attend to a medical emergency should prevent his arrest. Dr Jardine is expected in court on 5 August and SAMA says in addition to the charges against him being withdrawn, it expects an apology from the South African Police Service for his arrest.

SAMA says it will address the issue of doctors’ arrests outside of curfew hours with the Acting Minister of Health as well as the Minister of Police. It says all medical personnel must be exempt from the curfew hours, even those who don’t have special permits to operate outside of these hours. It notes that medical emergencies can occur at any time and that doctors must be able to treat patients when they need to.

SAMA recognises that curfew hours are there for a reason but says when a person is clearly dealing with an emergency – such as the one involving Dr Jardine – they must be allowed to attend to that emergency instead of being arrested, especially at a time when other, more pressing issues require law enforcement intervention.

Health bodies urge public not to use looted medication

South Africa's statutory health regulatory bodies have urged the public to refrain from using looted medicines.

The South African African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC), South African Nursing Council (SANC) and South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) have condemned the recent riots that saw, among others, stores, warehouses, and healthcare facilities being vandalised and looted.

South African firm to make Pfizer vaccine, first in Africa

The Biovac Institute based in Cape Town will manufacture the vaccine for distribution across Africa, a move that should help address the continent’s desperate need for more vaccine doses amid a recent surge of cases.

Biovac will receive large batch ingredients for the vaccine from Europe and will blend the components, put them in vials and package them for distribution. The production will begin in 2022 with a goal of reaching more than 100 million finished doses annually.

Right ePharmacy pulls plug on Gauteng ATM pharmacies

The Right ePharmacy has closed all of its Gauteng ATM pharmacy branches permanently, following the recent spate of violence and unrest that affected some parts of the country.

Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces saw an outbreak of widespread protests and looting, purportedly sparked by the arrest and imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma.

DSD vaccine rollout: ECD workers get their chance

In more good news, members of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) workforce will finally have a chance to be vaccinated after missing out previously.

Kicking off in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni yesterday, this particular vaccination rollout will see close to a quarter of a million workers in not only the ECD sector but also the Social Service Professionals (SSPs) in public, private and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) targeted.

Covid-19 antibodies last for at least nine months after infection, new study finds

A new study has found that antibody levels remain high nine months after SARS-CoV-2 infection, regardless of whether people were symptomatic or asymptomatic.

The research published in Nature Communications assessed the antibody levels of residents of a town in Italy after they were tested during the first wave of Covid-19 infections.

Singer Lloyd Cele composes song to thank the country’s health-care workers amid the Covid-19 pandemic

DURBAN - AWARD-winning artist Lloyd Cele composed and produced a song called Thank You (Caring for the Carers) dedicated to health-care workers after he was approached by the South African Medical Association (SAMA).

The song, which aims to honour health-care workers, highlights their hard work and dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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

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