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The newly formed National Health Insurance Coalition (NHIC) gives civil society voice on National Health Insurance
National Health Insurance holds the potential to drastically improve health care across South Africa; civil society is organising to secure its success. Key members of civil society recently formed the National Health Insurance Coalition (NHIC) to collectively respond to and help develop National Health Insurance (NHI). The NHIC also intends to jointly endorse key submissions…
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SECTION27 PRESS ALERT: Al Jazeera English and State of Qatar accused of human rights abuses of people living with HIV
• Al Jazeera English and State of Qatar accused of violating rights of South African journalist living with HIV • South African delegation to International Labour Organization (ILO) requested to file complaint against State of Qatar On the eve of World AIDS Day 2011, SECTION27 invites you to a media conference that will provide details…
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Auditor General Releases damning report
In August 2011 the Auditor General released a report on its performance audit of the infrastructure delivery process in provincial departments of Health and Education. The audit was conducted at all provincial departments of Health and Education and their implementing agents such as the department of public works.The report Continue Reading
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SECTION27 and TAC welcome Green Paper on National Health Insurance
SECTION27 and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) welcome the release of the Green Paper on National Health Insurance (NHI) for public comment. As organisations committed to the realisation of the right of everyone to have access to health care services, as guaranteed in section 27 of the Constitution, we value the opportunity to participate in…
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SECTION27 urges National Treasury to extend subsidisation of medical scheme contributions beyond personal income tax payers
On 22 July 2011, SECTION27 made a written submission to the National Treasury on its proposal for the first phase of the conversion of medical deductions to medical tax credits.
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Civil Society Organisations Call for the State and Unions to Urgently Finalise the Minimum Service Level Agreement for the Health Sector
We are a range of organisations who campaign for the right to health, and/or who provide health care services to poor people who depend on the public health sector. We fully support the efforts of the government to improve health care services. We also support unions and their members who are at the front line…
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TAC and SECTION27 urge Parliament not to ratify WTO decision on Paragraph 6 of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health
Cabinet recently resolved to ask Parliament to take the necessary steps to enable South Africa to ratify a decision taken by the World Trade Organization (WTO) on intellectual property and access to medicines. At its meeting held on 16 March 2011, Cabinet decided to request Parliament to – – ratify the WTO decision on the…
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SECTION27 to host regional activist dialogue on Right to Health
SECTION27 to host groundbreaking Southern African Regional Activist Dialogue on Strengthening Campaigns for the Right to Health and why we need a UN Framework Convention on the Right to Health. This year a million people will die of HIV in Eastern and Southern Africa. Hundreds of thousands more will die of easily preventable diseases. Infant…
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Proposed EU economic partnership raises concerns about medicines access
After stalling for some time, negotiations for an economic partnership agreement (EPA) between the European Union (EU) on the one hand and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), Mozambique and Angola on the other have recently restarted. According to an article published in Business Day on 10 February 2011, Xavier Carim – Deputy Director-General for…
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5th BEMF meeting to take place on 1 April 2011
The fifth Budget and Expenditure Monitoring Forum (BEMF) will take place on Friday, 1 April 2011 from 10:00 to 14:00 at the SECTION27 offices in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The BEMF draws together individuals and organisations from civil society to focus attention on the state’s health budgeting and expenditure.
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SECTION27, TAC and MSF South Africa call on the EU and India to stop the threats to people’s lives
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), SECTION27 and Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) South Africa voice support for their partners across the world opposing provisions in a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the European Union (EU) that threaten the sustainable supply of affordable medicines to millions of people in the…
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Insurance products for people living with HIV
Many people living with HIV continue to face unfair discrimination in various aspects of their lives. SECTION27 often receives reports from people who are denied access to insurance products solely on the basis that they are HIV positive, or are offered cover at what appear to be highly inflated prices. SECTION27 recently met with representatives…
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Millions call for freedom for Chinese HIV/AIDS activist Tian Xi
Yesterday, March 1st 2011, a memorandum was sent to the highest officials in the UN, UNAIDS, WHO and the Chinese government. It is signed by more than 120 organisations, from across the world, including many within China. It is signed by prominent individuals, human rights organisations and trade unions, including the powerful two million member…
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SECTION27 and the Treatment Action Campaign welcome the increased budget for health
SECTION27 and the TAC welcome the proposed increases in health expenditure outlined in the budget tabled by Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan on 23 February 2011. In particular, we welcome the Minister’s commitment to significant investment in strengthening the public health sector. However, we are concerned that the additional R11 billion available for 2011/12 will…
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Open letter calling for the immediate release of human rights and AIDS activist Tian Xi
RELEASE CHINESE AIDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST TIAN XI We the undersigned international AIDS and human rights organizations are deeply concerned by the sentencing of young Chinese HIV/AIDS activist Tian Xi to one year in prison in China. Tian Xi is a courageous advocate for the thousands of people infected with HIV through China’s blood…