2015 August Edition. In this issue. Newsletter Aug Dear Reader,

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Griffin Blankenship
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Alternatively you can email us at publicrelations@cimas.co.zw. Dear Reader, It s Summer time again, a season in which many people are affected by various diseases.

1 In this issue 70 th anniversary celebrations at Harare Show-. 2 Corporate golfers support charity.. 3 Summer illnesses.. 4 Update on drug payment 6 PUBLISHED BY: Cimas MEDICAL AID SOCIETY For more information please contact the Society on /15 or fax Alternatively you can us at publicrelations@cimas.co.zw. Dear Reader, It s Summer time again, a season in which many people are affected by various diseases. In this issue we look at some of them. We also highlight developments regarding payment for drugs. There is a report too on our golf day in Bulawayo. Many of the participants took advantage of the occasion not only to have a relaxing day of golf but to have their blood pressure checked. Blood pressure checks have become a unique feature of Cimas golf days August Edition 1

Celebrating 70 years of existence at the Show The Society is this year showcased its 70 th anniversary and its recently introduced emergency air rescue service at its stand at the Harare Agricultural

2 Celebrating 70 years of existence at the Show The Society is this year showcased its 70 th anniversary and its recently introduced emergency air rescue service at its stand at the Harare Agricultural Show. Information on all the Cimas divisions was also available at the exhibition stand. The different divisions offer medical aid, healthcare services, medical laboratory services, travel insurance and an emergency air rescue service. Members who wanted clarification on how to claim a refund of payments for drugs, following the suspension earlier in the year of the online drug payment facility to allow for upgrading to a more secure system, were able to obtain this information from those manning the stand. The Medical Services Division is one of the Cimas divisions As most members are exhibiting at the Show aware, claim forms can be deposited in a Cimas claim deposit box at the pharmacies where the drugs are purchased. In Harare, claims are being collected twice daily from these boxes. Drug payment refunds are being made twice a month. Members also took advantage of their visit to the Show to register their cellphone number with Cimas in preparation for the introduction of the more secure online drug facility. The new 2

online system, which is expected to be introduced soon, requires a Cimas member to have with him or her, when purchasing drugs from a pharmacy with the online facility, a cellphone with the mobile

The number will be used to close the drug purchase transaction. Cimas Medical Aid Division managing director Roderick Takawira has urged members to update their account information with the Society.

We hope they will at the same time register their email address with us, so that we can keep them updated with any new developments and information on our services, he added.

3 online system, which is expected to be introduced soon, requires a Cimas member to have with him or her, when purchasing drugs from a pharmacy with the online facility, a cellphone with the mobile line registered with Cimas, as well as the membership card and a valid prescription. A one-time personal identification number (PIN) will be sent to the member s cellphone. The number will be used to close the drug purchase transaction. Cimas Medical Aid Division managing director Roderick Takawira has urged members to update their account information with the Society. We are encouraging our members to register their mobile phone number with us at the show in preparation for the reinstatement of the upgraded facility, if they have not already done so, he said. We hope they will at the same time register their address with us, so that we can keep them updated with any new developments and information on our services, he added. Visitors to the Cimas stand obtained free blood pressure and blood sugar level tests there. They also found out what their ideal weight should be, using the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a key index for relating weight to height. Bulawayo Golfers raise funds for Charity Each year in Bulawayo, Cimas supports the community it serves through hosting a golf tournament that supports charity. Usually proceeds of the event are channelled towards the support of the less privileged within Matebeleland. This year the event supported the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe. The golf tournament is Cimas s way of strengthening relations with members. The event is an opportunity for charitable giving, while promoting and encouraging medical aid stewardship. The tournament, which was held at the beginning of August, was also aimed at raising awareness of the benefits of using medical aid wisely. Since the tournament s inception, the Society has raised money for more than five different charitable organisations. The gesture to support the communities we serve has spread to other cities, with Cimas also hosting golfing members in Harare and Mutare. Bulawayo Cimas golf day in pictures 3

Water analysis tests at Cimas Labs Cimas Medical Laboratory offers Pathology Testing Services which also include microbiological water quality testing for all your water sources i.e. boreholes, wells, taps etc.

4 Water analysis tests at Cimas Labs Cimas Medical Laboratory offers Pathology Testing Services which also include microbiological water quality testing for all your water sources i.e. boreholes, wells, taps etc. The water source must be checked before and after the onset of the rains to ensure that the water is free from bacterial contamination which may cause diarrheal diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid. It is advisable to ensure that all such water sources are constantly tested for microbial pollution to avoid Diarrheal Diseases caused by bacteria in water to include faecal contamination. For $20 per sample, your water will be tested and the result will be out in hours. Sterile containers for collection of water from the different sources are provided by the laboratory. For more information and collection of sterile bottles please contact the Main Laboratory at Medical Chambers and the Branch Laboratories country wide. 4

The optional benefit is offered on all local packages.

5 Did You Know? Newsletter Did you know? Cimas offers a +CD Chronic Diseases Add On package which is an optional cover for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. The optional benefit is offered on all local packages. Foreign treatment is offered with the Society s top three packages, namely its Medexec, Private Hospital and General packages. Look out for diseases associated with summer As the summer season progresses with the rains expected in a few months time, there is need to watch out for waterborne, food and vector-borne diseases. Among diseases experienced during the summer and rainy season, malaria remains the one with the highest number of cases and deaths in the country. 5

6 Mosquitoes, which cause malaria, are at their peak from the end of winter in around August to the end of May, making this period a malaria peak season. So far, most cases have been recorded in Mashonaland Central and Manicaland, with the high figures in Manicaland attributed to banana harvesting activities. Rains create breeding places for malaria parasites. According to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, people in malaria-prone areas should avoid working in the early hours of the day and at night without mosquito repellents. Although the number of cases of malaria has remained high, the country has managed to achieve the Abuja agreement target of reducing cases to about 68/1 000 people. According to the Ministry, the Government has sprayed most mosquito-prone areas and provided mosquito nets. Malaria is caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa plasmodium transmitted to humans via the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. Parasites multiply in the liver, attacking red blood cells which results in cycles of fever, chills and sweats, accompanied by anaemia. This may result in death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of the blood supply to the brain. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates released in December 2013, there were about 207 million cases of malaria in 2012 (with an uncertainty range of 135 million to 287 million) and an estimated deaths. Malaria mortality rates have fallen by 42 percent globally since 2000 and by 49 percent in the WHO African region. Most deaths occur among children living in Africa, where a child dies every minute from malaria. Malaria mortality rates among children in Africa have been reduced by an estimated 54 percent since Malaria is an acute febrile illness. In a non-immune individual, symptoms appear seven days or more (usually days) after the infective mosquito bite. The first symptoms fever, headache, chills and vomiting may be mild and difficult to recognise as malaria. If not treated within 24 hours, malaria can progress to severe illness often leading to death. Children with severe malaria frequently develop severe anaemia, respiratory distress in relation to metabolic acidosis or cerebral malaria. In adults, multi-organ involvement is frequent. In malaria endemic areas, a person may develop partial immunity, allowing asymptomatic infections to occur. Human immunity is an important factor, especially among adults, in areas of moderate or intense transmission conditions. Partial immunity is developed over years of exposure. While it never provides complete protection, it does reduce the risk that malaria infection will cause severe disease. For this reason, most malaria deaths in Africa occur in young children, whereas in areas with less transmission and low immunity, all age groups are at risk. Malaria can affect anyone. Particularly vulnerable are young children, who have not developed protective immunity against most severe forms of disease, and non-immune pregnant women, as malaria can frequently cause a miscarriage. 6

Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces the effects of the disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission.

Victims exhibit sustained high fevers. Left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20 percent. Dysentery, a waterborne disease, is another serious disease to watch out for.

7 Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria reduces the effects of the disease and prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission. Another common disease to look out for during the rainy season is typhoid fever. Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by faecal matter or sewage. Victims exhibit sustained high fevers. Left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20 percent. Dysentery, a waterborne disease, is another serious disease to watch out for. Last year, cases of dysentery were recorded. Other diseases to look out for include Hepatitis A and E, with the former being a viral disease that interferes with the functioning of the liver. It is spread through consumption of food or water contaminated with faecal matter, principally in areas of poor sanitation. Victims exhibit fever, jaundice, and diarrhoea. UPDATE ON PAYMENT OF DRUGS The Society would like to point out that drug refunds are not fixed, as is the case with medical refunds. The cost of medicine fluctuates from time to time. It is against this background that the Society has revised drug refunds taking into account current market trends. From now on drug awards will be reviewed weekly either up or down depending on market prices. Members are reminded that all drugs are paid for according to the cost of the generic equivalent. If the generic equivalent is not available we pay for them according to the category. It is, however, rare to have a branded drug that does not have a generic equivalent. It is also important to note that the efficacy of the generic drug equivalents has been proved to meet that of branded products, which are generally more expensive. For more information on the above please contact your Society on /15 or 7

Malaria DR. AFNAN YOUNIS

Malaria DR. AFNAN YOUNIS Objectives: Epidemiology of malaria Clinical picture Mode of transmission Risk factors Prevention and control Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites