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1. *Africa* Africa Must Make Health Spending a Priority
Africa must make higher health spending a priority if it is to stop rich nations poaching medical staff and cut deaths from the continent's five biggest killers, an African health campaign group said. Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria, child and maternal mortality kill 8 million Africans every year -- more than the combined populations of Sierra Leone and Botswana -- the African Public Health Rights Alliance said. "Do you want people to be alive to enjoy the roads, the houses, the power supply or do you want to build them when the people are dead?" Rotimi Sankore, coordinator of the advocacy group, asked in a Reuters interview on Thursday. "You have to invest in health workers and professionals. If you don't, the more developed countries will poach them and subsidize their own economies using our health workers." Africans can on average expect to remain healthy for 36 years of their life, compared to 67 years in developed countries, Sankore said.
Reuters, April 3, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSLAU38616220080403?feedType=RSS&feedName
=healthNews
2. *Canada* The Fraser Institute: Canadians' Access to New Medicines Delayed or Blocked by Government Policies and Drug Plans
Canadian patients are having difficulty obtaining new medicines as a result of lengthy delays by the federal government to approve new prescription drugs and the refusal of provincial drug plans to pay for the new medicines, says a new study by independent research organization the Fraser Institute. "Health Canada takes up to a year to approve new medicines as safe and effective. And while private insurance plans will immediately cover those medicines, the provinces can take up to another year to decide if they will pay for the same drugs," said Brett Skinner, Fraser Institute Director of Health, Pharmaceutical and Insurance Policy Research and author of Access Delayed, Access Denied: Waiting For New Medicines in Canada. "That additional one year delay keeps these new medicines out of reach for the one-third of Canadians who rely on provincial drug plans."
Marketwire, April 2, 2008
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=839132
3. *China* U.S. Health Insurance Giant Eyes Chinese Market
WellPoint Inc, the largest health insurer in the United States and parent company of Anthem Insurance Companies Inc, said on Monday it had formally established the Anthem Insurance Companies Inc Beijing Representative Office. Angela Braly, Wellpoint president and CEO, said "this move is to further establish a sound working relationship with Chinese insurance companies, and to bring the company's expertise and knowledge to China". She said with the unprecedented quick development of the Chinese economy, Chinese people's needs in health and medical care were also on the rise, adding the company would endeavor to improve the life quality and medical care services in collaboration with the company's stakeholders, including government, private enterprises and partners.
CHINAdaily, April 8, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-04/08/content_6599070.htm
4. *Ghana* Malpractices in health care – NHIC launches investigations
Dr. Kwakye Maafo, a member of the National Health Insurance Council (NHIC), says the commission has begun a campaign to crack down on all health care providers who engage in practices that are not consistent with the laws of the profession. He said the Council would not hesitate to withdraw the accreditation of those who misconduct themselves or sabotage the effective implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Dr. Maafo was addressing a stakeholders’ meeting of scheme managers, service and health care providers in the Ashanti Region, in Kumasi on Wednesday. He said his outfit had in recent times been inundated with some cases of malpractices and misconduct by some health care providers, and that those cases were being investigated.
My Joy Online, April 4, 2008
http://www.myjoyonline.com/health/200804/14998.asp
5. *India* Planning Commission paints grim picture of healthcare
Painting a grim picture of the healthcare sector in the country, the Planning Commission has squarely blamed the shortage of medical professionals for the dismal scenario saying there was a requirement of at least 600,000 more doctors. The situation is particularly bad in the public healthcare sector, a high-level group of the Commission said in a report last week. The public healthcare has been on a serious decline during the last two or three decades because of non- availability of medical and paramedical staff, diagnostic services and medicines. The situation in availability of specialist manpower in Community Health Centres (CHC) is particularly bad as against the sanctioned posts. About 59.4 per cent surgeons, 45 per cent obstetricians and gynecologists, 61 per cent physicians and 53 per cent
pediatricians were not in position, the report said.
Economic Times, April 7, 2008
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Healthcare__Biotech/Healthcare/
Planning_Commission_paints_grim_picture_of_healthcare/articleshow/2932197.cms
6. *India* Health Insurance illegal: Islamic body
Comparing the benefits of health insurance policy to gambling, key Islamic organisations have termed the policies as "illegal" and directed Muslims to keep away from them. At a seminar to deliberate whether insuring health was permissible under Islamic law Shariat, the Islamic Fiqh Academy (India) decided that availing such policies was illegal. Representatives from around 300 Madrasas, including Darul Uloom Deoband, Jamiat Islami participated in the three-day meet, where they reached a conclusion that seeking insurance cover was only another form of gambling. Health insurance schemes have turned a noble service in to a business activity, hence under Islam it is not permitted, they said.
Economic Times, April 6, 2008
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Personal_Finance/Insurance/Health_Insuarance_illegal_
Islamic_body/articleshow/2930737.cms
7. *Israel* Poll: Most Israelis oppose health care expansion by private donations
More than two-thirds of the public want the basket of health services supplied by the health insurers to be expanded with government funding; only one percent would want wealthy people "such as Arkadi Gaydamak" to give private donations that would expand the basket to include more medications and medical technologies. This was one of the findings in a survey to be presented during the Haifa Conference on Social Responsibility, which will open on Tuesday. The Ma'agar Mohot company surveyed the representative sample of 551 adults. Of those who supported an expansion of the basket, 67 percent said they wanted it increased at the expense of the budget used by MKs and the Knesset. An additional 16% said the funds should be taken from the funding for the state's 60th anniversary events, while 2% said the money should come from the defense budget and another 2% said the health tax paid on monthly wages should be increased.
The Jerusalem Post, April 7, 2008
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1207486207997&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle
%2FShowFull
8. *Kenya* NHIF Raises Payments to Private Hospitals
Healthcare is set to become more affordable to millions of Kenyans following a move by the national health insurer to revise rebates to hospitals upwards. The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) has increased rebates-the amount it pays to service providers on behalf of its members daily -for 119 private hospitals countrywide, effectively reducing the direct costs chargeable by the service providers. The revisions which range between Sh400 to Sh1,100 mean a substantial cost burden has been lifted off the shoulders of NHIF members seeking treatment. This follows similar increments for public and mission hospitals. Health care providers have in the past been automatically raising their charges when NHIF rebates are adjusted upwards, charging patients the same amount despite the reprieve. NHIF says it has been strengthening mechanisms to curb the trend by entering into contractual agreement with accredited hospitals willing to move into comprehensive services.
Business Daily, April 2, 2008
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804021078.html
9. *Korea* Insurers Encouraged to Invest More Overseas
Insurance companies will be allowed to set up subsidiaries or acquire businesses freely on overseas markets. The measure aims at encouraging local insurers to advance into the overseas market. "Korea's insurance market is the seventh largest in the world, yet we don't have a single insurer equipped with global competitiveness," said Financial Services Commission Chairman Jun Kwang-woo at a meeting with insurance CEOs in downtown Seoul Wednesday. Jeon said the commission would touch up regulations to help insurers grow and to give them more strategic choices in management.
The Korea Times, April 2, 2008
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2008/04/123_21812.html
10. *New Zealand* Junior doctors accused of being unreasonable
District Health Boards feel junior doctors are holding a loaded gun to the heads of patients. Doctors at the country's 21 DHBs have given notice of a 48 hour strike starting on April 22. They want a 10 percent pay increase for each of the next three years. Their union says junior doctors will continue to provide life preserving services. DHB spokesman David Meates says hospitals cannot afford the increase junior doctors want and they know it. He says the demands are way above other health sector settlements which have generally been around four percent.
Newstalk, April 8, 2008
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=135313
11. *Nigeria* Government Earmarks N540 Million for Health Insurance
Bauchi State Government has earmarked N540m as initial contribution for the enrollment of its 25,000 workforce into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The move followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the authorities of the National Health Insurance Scheme on the project. The health insurance scheme is expected to commence in the state on May 1, 2008 and will save the state about eleven million naira (N11million) monthly through cross subsidisation of medical bills from the national pool. Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State who spoke while endorsing the agreement said his administration has offered not only to enroll its entire workforce in the scheme but also to foot the entire bill for the first one year. Under normal circumstances, individual enrollees joining the National Health Insurance Scheme are required to contribute five per cent of their basic salary to the scheme while their employers contribute a sum equivalent to ten per cent of the worker's basic salary to make up the mandatory fifteen per cent contribution required by the scheme.
This Day, April 5, 2008
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804070568.html
12. *Pakistan* District Health Dept short of MOs
Over 40 percent positions of medical officers (MOs) are lying vacant in Islamabad District Health Department, badly impacting on its working. Sources told Daily Times that the District Health Department had 36 sanctioned posts of MOs but only 21 of them were currently occupied. They said out of 21 incumbents, 17 MOs were attached to the department on a regular basis and two each on deputation and contract. Ironically, only four of them are women - two regular and one each on deputation and contract. Of vacant posts, nine are reserved for women and six for men. The department has always confronted an odd situation as for filling posts of female MOs.
Daily Times, April 6, 2008
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C04%5C06%5Cstory_6-4-2008_pg11_5
13. *Sweden* Sweden launches national e-health strategy
The Swedish government has launched a new citizen-centred national e-health strategy designed around ensuring the provision of information to where it is needed to support improvements in care. The new e-health strategy focuses on the need to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to achieve improvements for patients, health professionals and decision-makers. Setting out the future strategy for e-health in the country, the government says it will use appropriate ICT-based tools to “help to ensure that all patients receive adequate, safe, secure health care and good-quality service”. E-health will be used to ensure care professionals can devote more time to patients and adapt care provision to individual needs. “ICT will be used as a strategic tool at all levels in the care sector, and health care resources as a whole will be utilised more efficiently and effectively,” says the strategy.
EHealthEurope, April 3, 2008
http://ehealtheurope.net/news/3617/sweden_launches_national_e-health_strategy
14. *South Africa* Health Report 'Is All Wrong'
Private hospitals have reacted angrily to a Council for Medical Schemes' report on private healthcare costs, saying it is riddled with errors and casts them unfairly as the villains responsible for
spiraling healthcare bills. The report appears to have heightened tension between the council and private hospitals. The two groups have a long history of arguing about their capacity to produce data on the private hospital industry. They clashed at recent Competition Tribunal hearings, and are now at odds on the detail of the council's latest report. Hospital Association of SA (Hasa) CEO Kurt Worral Clare said: "The report makes several statements without providing the necessary empirical support. Our members are of the opinion that many of the council's claims are counterfactual and without any qualification."
Business Day, April 7, 2008
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804070506.html
15. *Uganda* Government Needs to IX Health Care
Conventional wisdom is that Uganda, like many other African countries, is still grappling with triple challenges of poverty, disease and illiteracy, almost 50 years after independence, because it doesn't have adequate resources. It then follows that an infusion of resources, especially money, will solve the problems once and for all. Though there is some truth in this conventional wisdom, the shenanigans revealed at the ministry of health this week show that no amount of money will get Uganda on the road to health and prosperity any time soon unless a thorough house -cleaning exercise is carried out first. First, the revelations of theft of drugs on a massive scale at public health facilities must surely be stamped out first otherwise provision of more money to buy more drugs would simply translate into the stealing of greater quantities of drugs. According to a report by the centre for Global Development, at least 73 per cent of drugs mysteriously go missing from Uganda's health centres. Alarmingly, the report shows that the leakage rate could range from 40per cent to 94 per cent in any 10 randomly picked health centres around the country.
The Monitor, April 8, 2008
http://allafrica.com/stories/200804072025.html
16. *United Kingdom* Johnson offers nurses pay rise of nearly 8% over next three years
Alan Johnson, the health secretary, appeared yesterday to have averted the threat of industrial action across the NHS in England with a pay offer for 1.2 million nurses and ancillary staff worth almost 8% over three years. The nurses will get an immediate increase of at least 2.75% - the highest award in the public sector during the current pay round. It will raise the minimum starting salary for a qualified nurse to more than £20,000. The Treasury would have regarded the deal as unacceptably inflationary if Johnson had not secured agreement from the two biggest health unions for an unprecedented three-year settlement. Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling called in January for public sector workers to commit themselves to long-term pay deals, to help ensure financial stability. Johnson's proposal would give NHS staff increases of 2.4% in 2009-10 and 2.25% in 2010-11, with extra for the lowest paid workers and prospects of faster promotion up the pay ladder. Similar terms are expected to be offered to the health unions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Guardian, April 8, 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/apr/08/nhs.health
17. *United Kingdom* Celtic governments reject privatisation agenda adopted in England
The three Celtic governments will not pursue the privatisation agenda being adopted in England, according to GPC Northern Ireland. Dr Brian Dunn, GPC Northern Ireland chairman, was more concerned about the threat to general practice from the five large trusts in Northern Ireland. Speaking at the Northern Ireland LMC conference in Newcastle, County Down on Sunday, Dr Dunn said that a rare joint statement from the health ministers of three countries implied they were distancing themselves from the use of private providers as in England. The statement was signed by Scottish health minister Nicola Sturgeon, Northern Irish minister of health Michael McGimpsey and Welsh minister for health and social services Edwina Hart.
Healthcare Republic, April 8, 2008
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/news/GP/LatestNews/800364/Celtic-governments-reject-
privatisation-agenda-adopted-England/
18. *United Kingdom* British pharmacists blur line with doctors, treat patients, prescribe drugs
Twice a week, Stephen Inns sees patients with high blood pressure at his office in a medical practice in southern England. Usually, he conducts a few quick tests, asks them how they're doing, and adjusts their medicines if necessary. But Inns isn't a doctor. He's a pharmacist. Inns is one of fewer than 100 pharmacists across Britain recently given permission to prescribe drugs for patients and provide basic care, without relying on a doctor. The move is part of Britain's attempt to expand its health system, by allowing medical professionals like nurses and pharmacists to treat patients. While many countries are slowly loosening the rules on non-doctors giving out medicines, none has given pharmacists as much power as Britain has in its effort to increase services and cut costs to a financially overburdened health system. In 2006, Britain expanded the powers of pharmacists to treat patients once they took a training course. Though the number of prescribing health professionals other than doctors remains small, their ranks are growing - and the government hopes they will someday become the norm.
Breitbart, April 6, 2008
http://www.breitbart.com:80/article.php?id=cp_ftb47k7u249&show_article=1&catnum=8
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