Africa is currently undergoing a seismic demographic shift. Home to the world’s youngest population, the continent will house nearly 800 million children by 2060. At the same time, this youth bulge represents a potential economic dividend. However, a landmark new study has delivered a sobering reality check. It regards the health systems tasked with keeping this generation alive. Published this…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
-
Long-acting Injectable PrEP: Transforming HIV Strategies
South Africa is currently bracing for the most significant paradigm shift in its HIV response in over a decade. The national health authority has officially approved long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). There are plans to roll it out across the public sector in the coming year. For public health advocates, this development represents a potential turning point for prevention. It…
-
Digitisation Drives Netcare’s Growth with a 20.7% in HEPS
Hospital Group Netcare has delivered a robust set of full-year earnings for the year ended 30 September 2025. The group reported a significant 20.7% surge in adjusted headline earnings per share (HEPS) to 137.2 cents, underpinned by resilient demand for private healthcare and the successful execution of its digitisation strategy. Indeed, digitisation is driving Netcare’s growth, contributing significantly to these…
-
SA Doubles Pledge to Global Fund as Donors Miss Target
South Africa doubled its pledge to the Global Fund replenishment, emerging as a notable outlier in global health financing. This SA action represents a significant commitment to the Global Fund’s replenishment. The summit concluded on Friday with a substantial funding shortfall. This situation raises concerns about the future trajectory of the fight against HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria. Despite the…
-
Lilly Hits $1 Trillion Valuation with Weight-Loss Success
In a historic milestone for the pharmaceutical industry, Eli Lilly surged to a market value of $1 trillion on Friday. It became the first drugmaker to join an exclusive club previously dominated by technology heavyweights. This event marked the moment Lilly hit a $1 trillion valuation. It highlighted the company’s rapid ascent as a global powerhouse in the weight-loss sector.…
-
UK Covid-19 Inquiry Report Highlights Lockdown Failures
A damning new report from the UK public inquiry concludes that implementing the first national lockdown just one week earlier would have prevented approximately 23,000 deaths in England. The findings paint a scathing picture of the government’s initial response, citing a “failure to appreciate the level of risk” and a “toxic” internal culture. Baroness Heather Hallett, the retired senior judge…
-
NHI in South Africa: Political Ideology vs Reality
Following the Medium-Term Budget Statement and recent parliamentary presentations, the National Health Insurance (NHI) is back in the headlines. While there is no dispute that South Africa’s healthcare system is profoundly unequal and requires urgent reform, the path forward remains fiercely contested. The current friction stems from a policy shift in 2007. Before this, post-apartheid reform favoured a phased approach…
-
Lenacapavir in Short Supply Amid HIV Epidemic in Africa
International health activists and civil society organisations have launched a scathing critique of pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences and the US government. They say that Lenacapavir is in short supply and woefully inadequate to slow Africa’s epidemic. The backlash follows a joint announcement earlier this week by the US government and the Global Fund to Fight HIV/Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria regarding…
-
China’s HIV Prevention Funding Targets Vulnerable Youth
In a significant boost to South Africa’s public health resources, China has announced a $3.49 million (approximately R60 million) donation. This donation will expand critical HIV prevention funding. The investment is specifically earmarked to support young people and injecting drug users. These are demographics that currently lag behind the country’s treatment and prevention targets. The funding announcement comes at a…
-
Life Healthcare Share Price Stumbles Following R2.9bn Liability Adjustment
The Life Healthcare share price took a significant knock in early trade yesterday, falling by as much as 9%. This happened after the hospital group released a trading statement detailing a multi-billion Rand adjustment to its financial liabilities. Investors reacted sharply to news that an R2.9bn adjustment related to the “Piramal liability” had heavily impacted profit from continuing operations. This…
-
Childhood Hypertension Rates Nearly Double Globally
High blood pressure, a condition traditionally associated with adults, is rapidly becoming a major health crisis for the younger generation. New research published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health reveals that the worldwide prevalence of hypertension in children and adolescents under the age of 19 has almost doubled between 2000 and 2020. In 2000, approximately 3.2% of children had…