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Dear Colleagues

In his last address to the nation President Ramaphosa said once the vaccination of healthcare workers has been completed, Phase Two of the vaccination roll-out will begin in late April or early May. Phase Two will include the elderly, essential workers, persons living or working in institutional settings, and those with co-morbidities. For the second phase, more sites for vaccination in the public and private healthcare sector will be activated. Let us hope that the Phase Two rollout will proceed smoothly to the benefit of this very vulnerable segment of our community.

Over the past few weeks, the SAMA head office has received many queries regarding the vaccine roll-out for specialists. It has also come to our knowledge that some specialist groupings situated primarily outside of large hospital groups have not been vaccinated. To this end, SAMA, SAPPF and the KZN Specialists Network are pleased to announce that we have partnered with the UFFP, Vaccines for Healthcare Workers initiative (V4HCW) to ensure that all specialists not covered through hospital vaccination allocation procedures are included in the vaccination programme. This is not specific to only SAMA members. Any specialist is welcome to join.

Assurances that all SA Military frontline healthcare professionals will be vaccinated through the SAMHS was received. SAMA will be monitoring this situation as to ensure that it is done according to the prescribed departmental regulations.

The contentious issue of euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide (DAS) has once again received attention in the medical and legal communities. You are invited to participate in an anonymous online SAMA survey on Medical Doctors’ perspective on Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide, and their views on legalising these practices in South Africa. The survey is being conducted between 4 March and 4 April. This online survey will require about 15-20 minutes of your time. Ensure that your personal perspective and opinion is included on this highly controversial subject by accessing the following link to the survey: http://samedical.co.za/lime/index.php/999495?lang=en

This past weekend saw our outgoing SAMA President, Dr S. Maweya, handing over the reins to Prof R.F Chauke, at an inoculation ceremony that was part of the SAMA AGM. Prof Chauke has a long and valued relationship with SAMA and has filled quite a few important leadership roles through the years, both on SAMA Board level, and in the different SAMA committees.

Prof Chauke is also a HPCSA Board Member and currently the Deputy Dean and current Acting Dean at the Sefako Makgatho Health Services University. He holds a Master of Business Administration focused on Business Administration and Management from the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS). We are looking forward to the valuable contributions he will undoubtedly make.

Be safe.
Yours in Solidarity

Dr. Angelique Coetzee
SAMA: Chairperson

SAMA is now on Telegram | Please join via the link.

CALL FOR COMMENT: SECTION 59 INTERIM REPORT

Dear SAMA member

Below is a Notice from the Section 59 Investigation panel for your information and consideration. The date for the submission of comments on the Section 59 Interim Report has been extended and SAMA members are welcome to submit their input and any further comments in this regard, to the Secretariat of the Panel, as indicated in the Notice.

Thank you.

SAMA Legal Department

Webinar | Medical Certification of Cause of Death | Online Training

This will highlight the importance of accurate cause of death statistics and provide guidelines on the medical certification of cause of death.

Moderator:

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

Guest Speaker:
 
Dr Pam Groenewald
Specialist Scientist, Burden of Disease Research Unit, SAMRC

Dr Toyin Awotiwon
Senior Scientist, Burden of Disease Research Unit, SAMRC

Time:

Friday, March 12, 2021 11:00 AM

SAMA Survey: Medical Doctors’ perspective on Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide And their views on legalising these practices in South Africa: A Cross Sectional Survey

Dear SAMA Member

The contentious issue of euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide (DAS) has once again received attention in the medical and legal communities.

You are invited to take part in an anonymous online survey on Euthanasia and Doctor-Assisted Suicide.

The survey is being conducted between 04 March – 04 April 2021.

This online survey will require about 15-20 minutes of your time.

Ensure that your personal perspective and opinion is included on this highly controversial subject by accessing the following link to the survey:
http://samedical.co.za/lime/index.php/999495?lang=en

An article published by MedicalBrief on the 10th of February 2021 reported that two patients, Dr. Suzanne Walter, a palliative care specialist, and her 71-year-old patient, Diethelm Harck will turn to the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg for a judgement to enact legalisation which would allow for euthanasia and/or doctor-assisted suicide. It has been reported that both Walter and Harck have been diagnosed with terminal diseases and that they would want to end their lives at the appropriate time.

The last time euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide received attention was in 2015, when lawyer Robert Stransham-Ford filed an urgent application in the High Court of Gauteng (Pretoria) for an order that a doctor be legally entitled to give him a lethal dose to put an end to his life. Judge Hans Fabricius ruled in his favour, but Stansham-Ford died of natural causes two hours before the judgment.

Both life-ending practices are illegal in South Africa and while it not unlawful for any individual to end their life, there would be serious legal and ethical repercussions for any medical professional who participates in euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.

The objectives of the SAMA survey are to:

• To assess the knowledge of doctors on euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.
• To determine medical doctors’ attitudes and perceptions towards euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.
• To assess the doctors' willingness to provide euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide.
• To establish doctors’ position on legalising euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide in South Africa and their willingness to provide such treatment.

This will also serve to inform the SAMA position on the issue going forward.

This survey is supported by the SAMA Human Rights, Law and Ethics (HRLE) Committee, and is approved by the South African Medical Association Research Ethics Committee (SAMAREC).

Please note that this survey is for SAMA members only.

Questions or comments? Please contact:

Mr. Brandon Ferlito
Principal Investigator
+27 (0) 12 481 2018
brandonf@samedical.org

The CONNECT TB Study is now enrolling

Dear General Practitioner

If you are a general practitioner in the Durban area, then this notice is for you. It is our intention to connect private general practitioners in the Durban area to free TB testing through NHLS.

Please access the study notice herewith - https://www.samedical.org/file/1497

Any questions may be forwarded to Dr Buyisile Chibi on the contact details herewith.
Email: chibib1@ukzn.ac.za
Mobile: 078 317 1816

Thank you.

Dr Jody Boffa,
PhD

REMINDER: COVID-19 RESEARCH OUTCOMES WORLDWIDE NETWORK for CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION – CROWN CORONATION TRIAL

We are in the midst of a delay and uncertainty with regards to the COVID-19 specific vaccine. We are inviting you to help us find other robust and supportive solutions.

The CROWN CORONATION trial is looking at the ability for a live attenuated vaccine (namely the MMR) and its ability to boost the innate immune system and possibly prevent both acquisition of COVID-19 and reduce its severity.

This is an extremely important question that we need to answer and we really need health care workers to enrol to help us do this. This study does not require much of your time so please look at the attached flyer and consider signing up.

We would be extremely appreciative of you support. Please note that enrolment in this trial will NOT stop you from getting the COVID-19 vaccine when it is available.

Dr Kim Comline

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

The Unity Forum of Family Practitioners and Vaccines for Healthcare Workers Initiative

Over the past month of launching our new v4hcw platform and information hub, we have had many queries regarding our purpose and what we aim to accomplish.

The Unity Forum of Family Practitioners (UFFP) was created in 2018 when Family Practitioners realised that they needed to be part of a collaborative medium in order to be heard. As we are all aware, there is always strength in numbers.

View full communication Here: https://www.samedical.org/file/1500
View V4HCW Process Here: https://www.samedical.org/file/1501

Airlines and countries extend travel bans on South Africa

UAE-based airline Emirates has announced that flights from South Africa will remain suspended until 20 March 2021. This is in line with government directives that restrict the entry of travellers originating from South Africa into the UAE, the airline said in a notice published on its website. Emirates said that daily passenger flights to Johannesburg will resume from 11 March as initially planned

Rapid Implementation of a Vaccination Superstation

On January 6, 2021, a short call between key leaders at UC San Diego Health and the San Diego County public health services resulted in a conceptual agreement to open a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine superstation with a target of vaccinating 5000 health care workers daily.

Mkhize on South Africa hitting its Covid-19 vaccine targets

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says government remains committed to its original plan of vaccinating 40 million people, or 65% of the population, by the end of the year – but manufacturer delays could interrupt the process.

Insurers planning for ‘two and a half more Covid-19 waves’ in South Africa

South Africa may still be short of the halfway mark of the Covid-19 pandemic, even after two distinct waves of the coronavirus swept through the country over the past year. “We are basically planning for two-and-a-half more waves,” Sanlam chief executive officer Paul Hanratty said by phone. The insurer is also ‘very realistic’ that South Africa’s vaccine program is not going to impact the current year very significantly, he said.

COVID-19 WRAP | SA records 1,654 Covid-19 cases & We will protect ourselves from Covid-19, but not eradicate it

Nigeria is expecting its first 4 million doses of coronavirus vaccines next week from the global COVAX programme for poor and middle-income countries, the World Health Organisation said on Friday.

South Africans’ conduct would determine when third wave of Covid-19 hits

Cape Town - HEALTH Minister Zweli Mkhize said the behaviour of South Africans would determine when the third wave would possibly arise. Responding to oral questions in the National Assembly, on Wednesday, Mkhize said the second wave of infections would arise when significant people infected with Covid-19 interacted with other persons and neither applied health protocols.

The ESSENTIAL MEDICAL REFERENCE

SAMAREC

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