Making mandatory medical scheme membership a requirement for everyone earning above the tax threshold could cut cover costs by up to 30%. This is according to research commissioned by the Health Funders Association (HFA). The findings appear in a report released yesterday. The HFA, which represents medical schemes and administrators covering roughly half the market, modelled two linked reforms: compulsory…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
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Mediscor Medicines Review: Medicine Spend Rose 4.7% in 2025
Medicine benefits remain one of the clearest ways members feel the value of their medical scheme, according to the 2025 Mediscor Medicines Review. The report describes not runaway growth but steady pressure from utilisation, high-cost therapies, chronic disease and member affordability. The analysis draws on fee-for-service schemes with ongoing Mediscor PBM contracts, covering more than 1 million beneficiaries. Year-on-year shifts,…
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Aspen Pharmacare Earnings Jump 22% on Mounjaro Demand
Aspen Pharmacare earnings surged in its latest financial year, with normalised headline earnings per share climbing 22% on the back of booming demand for weight-loss medicines. Africa’s largest drugmaker reported the rise on Wednesday for the year ending 30 June. The standout driver was Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, which Aspen promotes and sells across South Africa and other Sub-Saharan African markets…
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Traditional Health Practitioners Set for NHI Role
According to Dr Joe Phaahla, Deputy Minister of Health, the government intends to include traditional health practitioners as it introduces National Health Insurance (NHI). He announced this during his speech at the African Traditional Medicine Commemorative Day in Mpumalanga. The commitment establishes a formal place for traditional medicine within South Africa’s universal health coverage schemes. It aligns the country with…
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Lenacapavir HIV prevention faces SA supply constraints
Lenacapavir HIV prevention could significantly shorten the time South Africa needs to bring HIV transmission under control. However, modelling suggests the country would need millions of people to receive the long-acting injection each year to realise its full potential. Clinical trials found that lenacapavir provided almost complete protection against HIV infection. The injectable prevention option could also address a persistent…
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Statins and dementia risk in diabetes
Statins and dementia may be more closely linked through cardiovascular health than previously recognised, according to a large Danish observational study. Researchers found that people with type 2 diabetes who started statin therapy earlier had a lower subsequent risk of dementia. The nationwide study included 132,585 people in Denmark who developed type 2 diabetes between 2006 and 2019. None were…
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Young adult mental health claims rise 80%
Young adult mental health is becoming an increasingly important driver of healthcare demand in South Africa. This is according to Discovery Health’s HealthTrend26 report. Among members aged 18 to 30, the prevalence of mental health claims has increased by 80% over the past decade. The report draws on more than 60 million life-years of clinical, lifestyle and behavioural data. It…
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Dis-Chem succession enters a new phase
Dis-Chem succession has entered a decisive phase after founder Ivan Saltzman and his family stepped away from formal management and board roles at the healthcare retailer. Saltzman, 76, had initially been nominated for election as a non-executive director. Dis-Chem’s AGM notice, issued on 30 June, included a resolution confirming his proposed appointment. However, on 24 July the group announced that…
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Ectopic pregnancy deaths expose care gaps
Research into ectopic pregnancy deaths in South Africa has highlighted persistent failures in early diagnosis, referral and emergency treatment. Dr Maria Mmaphefo Maluleka, a registrar in Family and Primary Health Care at Sefako Makatho Health Sciences University, said delays across the care pathway continue to put women’s lives at risk. According to the Saving Mothers 2020–23 report, 103 women died…
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Childhood immunisation coverage falls sharply in South Africa
Childhood immunisation coverage in South Africa has fallen sharply. As a result, the Department of Health has called for urgent action as outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases spread across the country. The proportion of infants under one year who have received no vaccinations rose from 12.1% in 2017 to 36.3% between January and April 2026. As a result, the share of…
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Rasonque pancreatic cancer drug wins FDA approval
The Rasonque pancreatic cancer treatment from Revolution Medicines has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for certain patients with metastatic disease. The once-daily oral medicine, also known as daraxonrasib, is approved for patients who have received previous treatment or cannot undergo combination chemotherapy. It targets several forms of the RAS protein, which plays a significant role in driving…
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Discovery’s headline earnings set to rise
Discovery expects its headline earnings to increase by 31% to 36% for the year to end-June, driven by growth in its South African operations and Vitality business. The financial services group said it delivered robust results during the year. The group expects its normalised operating profit to increase by 15% to 20%. The group forecasts 13% to 18% growth for…