Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
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The vision of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences is to be a dynamic, people-centred and inclusive environment, internationally recognised for its excellence in research, education and clinical training in medicine and health sciences, and for the contribution it makes to improving health and health care in South Africa, the African continent and beyond.
This faculty was known as the Faculty of Health Sciences until 30 April 2012.
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Browsing Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences by browse.metadata.type "Editorial"
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- ItemThe anthropocene – the biggest threat to health on the African continent(AOSIS, 2019) Mash, RobertNo abstract available.
- ItemThe Astana Declaration and future African primary health care(AOSIS, 2018-11) Mash, RobertAt the recent Global Symposium on Health Systems, one of the participants commented that there are three trains currently running the global health agenda – the sustainable development goals, universal health coverage and primary health care. As I write this editorial, the intergovernmental meeting in Astana will be meeting to re-commit the world to primary health care as the essential and fundamental basis of cost-effective and equitable health systems. This meeting comes 40 years after the landmark Declaration of Alma Ata which rallied the world around the call of ‘health for all’ and primary health care. However, 40 years on and despite the 2008 World Health Report also declaring primary health care is needed ‘now more than ever’, the world has yet to fully realise the vision and potential of primary health care.
- ItemBedaquiline microheteroresistance after cessation of tuberculosis treatment(Massachusetts Medical Society, 2019-05-30) De Vos, Margaretha; Wiggins, Kristin B.; Derendinger, Brigitta; Reuter, Anja; Dolby, Tania; Burns, Scott; Schito, Marco; Engelthaler, David M.; Metcalfe, John; Theron, Grant; Van Rie, Annelies; Posey, James; Warren, Rob; Cox, HelenENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bedaquiline improves survival among persons with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).1 We report the case of a 65-year-old South African man who was negative for human immunodeficiency virus and in whom MDR-TB was diagnosed in 2013 (resistant to rifampin and isoniazid; phenotypically susceptible to a fluoroquinolone and amikacin). A baseline radiograph showed changes consistent with bilateral tuberculosis with left apex cavitation. He started standardized treatment that included moxifloxacin, pyrazinamide, kanamycin, ethionamide, isoniazid, and terizidone. After initial sputum culture conversion (at month 3) and clinical improvement, the patient again became culture-positive, and bilateral cavitation developed. After detection of phenotypic resistance to fluoroquinolones (at month 6), his treatment was revised (at month 8) to include high-dose isoniazid, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, terizidone, linezolid, paraaminosalicylic acid, and kanamycin (Figure 1 and the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this letter at NEJM.org). Bedaquiline was added 22 days later and was administered for 6 months.2 The patient remained culture-positive (treatment failure), and treatment was stopped 15 months after revision of the regimen. The patient died 7 months later.
- ItemChronic coronary syndromes - time to reassess the evidence(South African Heart Association, 2018) Kyriakakis, CharlesNo abstract available.
- ItemCommon mistakes when writing the conclusion of a research manuscript(South African Orthopaedic Association, 2018) Ferreira, NandoENGLISH ABSTRACT: The last couple of years have seen a tremendous change in mindset towards research in South Africa. This was in part due to new Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) requirements to register as a specialist, resulting in an increased output of research from predominantly academic training centres. This renewed focus on conducting research was, however, not always reciprocated by support with the analysis and reporting of research findings.
- ItemThe contribution of family medicine to African health systems(AOSIS Publishing, 2016) Mash, RobertENGLISH SUMMARY : No abstract available.
- ItemConventional indicators of the burden of young child malnutrition : time for a rethink?(MedPharm Publications, 2018) Dhansay, Muhammad A.The world has moved on from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) era to the next phase in global development, namely, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs have multiple targets and indicators, among which Target 2.2 relates to measurement of stunting, wasting and overweight in children under five. The MDGs had stunting and underweight as indicators to be measured to assess progress in addressing child malnutrition. In 2012, the World Health Assembly Resolution 65.6 endorsed a Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition, which specified a set of six global nutrition targets that by 2025 aim to, among others, achieve a 40% reduction in the number of children who are stunted, reduce and maintain childhood wasting to < 5%, and ensure there is no increase in childhood overweight.
- ItemData mining and biological sample exportation from South Africa : a new wave of bioexploitation under the guise of clinical care?(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2016) Staunton, Ciara; Moodley, KeymanthriDiscovery Health, one of the leading healthcare funders in South Africa (SA), will offer genetic testing to its members for USD250 (approximately ZAR3 400) per test from 2016. On the surface, this appears to be innovative and futuristic. However, a deeper look at this announcement reveals considerable problems in the exportation of biological samples and data out of SA, and brings into sharp focus the lack of protection in place for potential donors. In return for a reduced-cost genetic test, which will nevertheless be billed to a member’s savings plan, data from the patient’s results, and probably the sample itself, will be sent to the USA for storage, research purposes and possible commercial use, with no further benefit for the patient. This development has demonstrated the need for more stringent protection of the movement of biological samples and data out of SA, particularly with reference to consenting procedures, material transfer agreements, and the export of biological data themselves.
- ItemDelivering cardiac care : the next frontier(South African Heart Association, 2016) Pecoraro, Alfonso J. K.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The 17th annual South African Heart congress, co-hosted with the annual meeting of the World Society of Cardiothoracic surgery, brings together both local and international pioneers in the field of cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery. The combination of adult and paediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons and allied professionals epitomises the emergence of the the “Heart team” as an integral component of providing optimal cardiac health care.
- ItemEditorial : Bovine Tuberculosis—International perspectives on epidemiology and management(Frontiers Media, 2019-06-25) Byrne, Andrew W.; Allen, Adrian R.; O'Brien, Daniel J.; Miller, Michele A.Introduction: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) remains a prominent zoonotic pathogen on the world stage, with significant impacts on animal and human health, and economic well-being. Eradication is hampered by a complex epidemiology, which in many countries involves wildlife hosts. Indeed, despite advances in understanding gleaned from national programs of bTB eradication, much of our understanding of transmission mechanisms, diagnostics, control, and multi-host infection systems remains opaque. In this collection of Frontiers in Veterinary Science, as editors, we felt these limitations could best be addressed by adopting an international perspective. Localism understandably focuses on the fine details of problems at hand, but can perhaps overlook issues that only become apparent when compared to the experiences of others. Below we summarize the papers published in this truly international collection, and highlight some themes. We trust readers will find these articles as stimulating to read as they were to edit.
- ItemEditorial : changes to the South African Family Practice Journal(South African Academy of Family Physicians, 2019-11-19) Mash, BobAt the end of 2018 the contract with Medpharm to publish the South African Family Practice Journal was up for renewal. Over the last five years Medpharm has enabled the journal to obtain accreditation with the US National Library of Medicine and to be searchable on PubMed. This has raised the visibility and accessibility of the journal considerably, particularly as the original research is published on an international platform managed by Taylor and Francis.
- ItemEditorial : growing the discipline of family medicine as a counterculture(South African Academy of Family Physicians, 2019-10-28) Von Pressentin, Klaus B.I would like to start this editorial with a word of thanks. Thank you to the Academy (SAAFP)’s leadership for entrusting my colleague, Professor Indiran Govender (Assistant Editor), and me with the responsibility and opportunity to build on the work done by our predecessors. A read through the editorials since the journal’s birth in 1980 (available from: http://www.safpj.co.za) informed me of the innovative thinking behind building the discipline of family medicine and primary care over the past few decades.
- ItemEditorial : on being relationship-centred(South African Academy of Family Physicians, 2019-10-28) Von Pressentin, Klaus B.In my previous editorial,1 I mentioned the key ethos of our discipline, relationshipcentredness, which is a natural extension of our aspiration of focusing on the person behind the illness, by practising personcentred care within the context of the extended healthcare team.2 This aspiration is shared around the globe in the wider family medicine (FM) community. The different interpretations around the globe of what is meant by “general practice” and “family medicine” were discussed in one of the Besrour Centre’s papers, which grappled with the challenge of finding a global definition of FM.3 The authors concluded that, universally, the discipline remained responsive to local health needs, despite being practised in various forms across the globe. To remain locally relevant, the discipline and its practitioners’ unifying role (and identity) should remain grounded in relationships of care (with patients, colleagues and the community).
- ItemEmbracing new techniques and new technologies in cardiac surgery – is it being done responsibly and safely?(South African Heart Association, 2017) Janson, JacquesCardiac surgeons have been pioneers since the inception of this surgical field. Sixty years ago the development of the heart-lung machine paved the way for cardiac surgery. Since then many new innovations have been introduced, including artificial heart valves, coronary artery bypass grafting, cardiac transplantation, minimally invasive techniques, transcutaneous heart valves and mechanical assist devices. This has required parallel development and advances in medical imaging, such as angiography, echocardiography, CT scanning and MRI providing accurate preoperative diagnosis and optimal planning of surgical procedures.
- ItemEmpathy : an essential tool in any doctor’s skillset(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2019) Archer, Elize; Turner, RoseanneNo abstract available
- ItemThe epidemic of sexual violence in South Africa(Health and Medical Publishing Group, 2016-11) Joyner, KateENGLISH SUMMARY : No abstract available.
- ItemHarmful effects of smoking in pregnancy(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2005) Viljoen, Elbie[No abstract available]
- ItemThe heart team, TAVI and natural selection(South African Heart Association, 2016) Doubell, AntonENGLISH ABSTRACT: The announcement in 2002 that Alan Cribier had performed the first Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) ranked right up there with the announcement that the first heart transplant had been performed by Chris Barnard, or the announcement that Andreas Gruentzig had performed the first coronary angioplasty. At the time we rightly viewed this as an exciting breakthrough in the management of patients with aortic stenosis and had little reason to anticipate that perhaps the major challenge for TAVI still lay ahead.
- ItemHIV/AIDS in Africa - A role for the mental health practitioner?(Health & Medical Publishing Group, 2005) Stein, D. J.; Seedat, S.; Emsley, R. A.; Olley, B. O.[No abstract available]
- ItemHospital malnutrition in children : what are the challenges?(MedPharm Publications, 2018) Blaauw, ReneeNo abstract available
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