Retirement Living & Aged care
Protection Of The Rights Of Elders In Sri Lanka
This column dedicated to the notion of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia turns its spotlight today on the protection of elders in Sri Lanka as our society aspires that our elders should be respected and protected from ingratitude.
Healthcare & Wellness
Extended health-care scheme attracts many
ABOUT 10,000 people have signed up for the Primary Care Partnership Scheme (PCPS) since last August when it was announced that coverage would be extended to more people. The scheme allows patients to get treatment from a general practitioner (GP) and still enjoy government subsidy. From this Sunday, the subsidy will range from $18.50 to $80 a visit, capped at $200 to $480 a year, up from $60 a visit, capped at $360 a year previously.
1/6 of Koreans Shun Hospital When They Are Sick
One in six Koreans avoid going to hospital when they are ill because they are afraid they cannot afford to pay. And among the elderly, one in three would rather endure pain than go to hospital. The Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday said 16.9 percent of adults over 19 and 16.6 percent of minors were unable to seek help from hospitals for economic reasons. The percentage soared among the elderly to 35.7 percent for general treatment and to 50.5 percent for dental treatment.
Hospital blunders increase by a third
Serious medical blunders in public hospitals increased by a third last year, lawmakers were told yesterday. Experts and patients' groups blamed staff shortages and poor management, which they say are eroding morale. The Hospital Authority received 44 reports of incidents involving death or serious physical or psychological injury from October 2010 to September last year.
Bristol-Myers to pay $2.5B for developer of hepatitis C drug
Looking for a share of a market that is growing fast, Bristol-Myers will spend $2.5 billion to acquire hepatitis C drug developer Inhibitex Inc., which saw its share price double in one day recently on early stage data of a treatment it is developing.
Government / NGO & Economy
Govt to consider allowing private health sector to tap MAF
SINGAPORE: Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said the government will need to carefully consider further expansion of the scope and the possibility of access by the private sector to the Medication Assistance Fund (MAF). He said this in a parliamentary reply on Monday, in response to questions from Member of Parliament Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef.
Ageing Research
Nicotine Patch May Improve Memory in Pre-Dementia Patients
Jan. 9, 2012 -- People with mild memory loss, often an early warning sign of future dementia, may get help from an unexpected source: nicotine patches. A new study published in the journal Neurology shows that wearing a nicotine patch improved the brain performance of such adults.
