People wandering into the Sandton Convention Centre last week could have been forgiven if they thought they had walked onto the set of a sci-fi futuristic film for, contained within its four walls, were some of the most remarkable innovations, diagnostics, technologies and services in the field of medicine and health on display.
Deena Naidoo, group nursing services manager, Lenmed (standing) with from left: Jacqui Stewart, CEO of Cohsasa; Dr Kim Faure project lead: SECURE Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership; Dr Ziyanda Mgugudo-Sello head of unit: Professional Services SA Medical Association and Professor Natalie Schellack, head of the Department of Pharmacology, University of Pretoria, and editor of the South Africa Pharmacy Journal.
One of these – the ABBY health station – can measure your blood pressure, BMI, heart age, body composition (water, muscles, fat), oxygen saturation and many other features. All you had to do was stand on a platform for 180 seconds!
Cohsasa, as the knowledge partner, had the privilege of hosting the Hospital Show, which was lodged in one corner of the exhibition hall and attracted quite an audience, depending on the subject matter being discussed. The overall theme of the conference was “Ensuring Patient Safety in the drive for ESG, where ESG is an acronym for Environmental, Social, and Governance indicators.
The Hospital Show, a two-day event, was co-located with SAPHEX, the Pharmacy Show, the GP Expo and the Nursing Practice exhibition, each with conference streams. This cross-pollination of subject matter ensured that delegates were exposed to a wide variety and the latest knowledge in several medical fields.
It attracted 135 exhibits and over 3000 delegates and it is predicted that by 2025, these figures will increase. Healthcare professionals, hospital administrators and industry leaders mingled and swopped business cards as they explored the exhibits or listened to panel discussions featuring top speakers in their field.
Some of the facts emerging were alarming: Dr Natalie Schellack, for example, told the Hospital Show conference audience that Africa has the highest incidence and highest death rate of antimicrobial resistance in the world and that one in six medicines in Africa are substandard of falsified.
Speakers were drawn from both the public and private sector and from a local and international base. Of particular interest was keynote speaker Dr Joseph Williamson’s assertion that doctors are the most difficult to persuade about the benefits of quality improvement and accreditation, but he confessed that he is a most serious convert.
Equally fascinating was a talk by Carmen Menéndez Calzada from the Geneva Sustainability Centre on equipping leaders with skills, tools, and actionable knowledge to advance on their sustainability journey.
The event was carefully crafted to ensure that delegates had the chance to connect with the best suppliers and services providers serving the hospital sector in South Africa, SADC and Africa.
CEO of COHSASA, Jacqui Stewart, moderating a panel discussion on “What is being done to implement ESG strategies?” with (from left): independent improvement specialist Neo Masike; Gladys Bogoshi, CEO Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital and Francois Bester, group manager: Environmental Sustainability, Mediclinic Group.
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Dr Joseph Williamson, healthcare consultant, IFC who gave the keynote address with the CEO of COHSASA, Jacqui Stewart.
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CEO Jacqui Stewart catches up with emails at the COHSASA stand at the Hospital Show
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Jacqui Stewart and Dr Louis Alekwe, executive director of Lily Hospital in Lagos.
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A section of the audience attending the Hospital Show’s conference hosted by COHSASA, “Ensuring Patient Safety in the Drive for ESG
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Former chairperson of COHSASA, Dr Brad Beira, part of the panel that discussed the legal and regulatory perspective of patient safety in the drive for ESG
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Dr Karen Nel who spoke out strongly about the need to take care of health workers before they can take care of patients.
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Cohsasa’s vice chairperson and co-founder and managing director of Health IQ Consulting, Dr Brenda Kubheka (left) and Dr Nkuli Boikhutso, the CEO of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital on the panel discussing “Where is Patient Safety on the Governance Agenda”?
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Drawing a picture of legal and regulatory perspectives with regards to ESG: (from left): Dr Siphiwe Mndaweni, CEO Office of Health Standards Compliance, Dr Brad Beira Director – Consulting & Risk Services: PWC and Dr Morgan Mkhatshwa, Head of Social Impact, Lenmed.
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