HealthChat

Healthchat | Rare but Real: The Alagille Syndrome Story

Welcome to HealthChat on this special edition for Rare Diseases Day 2025. Today, we're shining a light on rare paediatric liver diseases, a group of conditions that often go unrecognised and misdiagnosed.
One such disease is Alagille Syndrome (ALGS)—a complex and often misunderstood disorder affecting the liver, heart, and other systems. To help us unpack the challenges of diagnosing and managing ALGS, we’re joined by Dr Marisca Baretta, a Paediatric Hepatologist at Wits University’s Donald Gordon Medical Centre.
Dr Baretta will walk us through why ALGS is frequently overlooked, how it impacts young patients, and what can be done to improve early detection and care.
Stay with us as we explore the realities of rare liver diseases and what they mean for patients, families, and healthcare providers.
 
Practitioner Resources:
Paediatric Liver & Transplant Services South Africa 
Childhood Liver Disease
American Liver Foundation
 
Accreditation Information:
This activity is for healthcare practitioners in South and sub-Saharan African.
You can find more information & the accredited questionnaire here.

HealthChat | This Week We Talk CPD Compliance With Lisa Reid from SAMA

In December 2024, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) updated its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) guidelines, introducing new accreditation requirements.
To shed light on these changes and their implications for healthcare practitioners, we spoke with Lisa Reid, CPD Accreditation Officer at the South African Medical Association (SAMA).  
If you have questions about staying compliant, this podcast is for you.
Remember, to maintain your registration, ensure your CPD status is current by 31 March 2025. For assistance, you can contact Lisa and her team at SAMA - www.samedical.org - or on the general SAMA telephone number.

HealthChat | Shaping the Narrative: Impartiality and Truth-telling in Healthcare Journalism

In an era of intense scrutiny, where healthcare and clinical publications face immense pressure to cut costs and cater to social media, we ask: is unbiased reporting still feasible? What challenges do journalists encounter, and does impartiality in reporting on public healthcare issues help or harm?
Join us as we unpack these questions and more with our guest, Mia Malan, Editor-in-Chief of the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. It’s a fascinating discussion you won’t want to miss.