The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has told Parliament that it does not target black doctors based on their ethnicity during fraud investigations. In response to the allegations, Gems denies engaging in racial profiling against any of its practitioners. The assurance comes in the wake of a damning industry report. This report concluded that its systems were “procedurally unfair” and…
Category: Archive
Every Health Matters article, newest first. Use the search or browse by month to find older reporting.
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PEPFAR Funding Secure for Vital HIV Programmes
The United States Congress has spared the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a cornerstone of global HIV/AIDS prevention for nearly two decades, from a potential $400 million budget cut.. The proposed reduction was part of the Trump administration’s wider “rescissions package.” This package aimed at clawing back $9.4 billion in previously approved federal spending. However, lawmakers raised significant…
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Gauteng Health Budget to Transform Healthcare Services
The Gauteng Department of Health has received a budget of R67 billion for the 2025-26 financial year. This initiative aims to overhaul service delivery, modernise infrastructure, and tackle critical healthcare needs across the province. The Gauteng Health Budget places a strong emphasis on these improvements. During a media briefing at the provincial legislature, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu…
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Weight-Loss Drug Costs Fuel US Employer Healthcare Cuts
More than half of large employers in the United States are planning to reduce their healthcare benefits in 2026. This decision comes as the skyrocketing cost of new weight-loss and specialty medicines puts unprecedented pressure on budgets. The soaring costs of weight-loss drugs are a key concern, according to a new survey. The report, released on Wednesday by consulting firm…
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Discovery Health’s Top Claims of 2024 Revealed
Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) has revealed the immense scale of its 2024 claims. It paid out a total of R83 billion last year. The scheme highlighted its ten highest individual claims, which alone amounted to R70.5 million. This underscores the critical role of medical cover in managing catastrophic health events. Presenting at the scheme’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), DHMS…
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AI Algorithms: A Call for Greater Transparency
To align with South Africa’s constitutional commitment to equality, experts argue for a new standard of AI governance. This includes rigorous algorithmic impact assessments, transparency in the variables used for profiling, and clear pathways for individuals to appeal automated decisions. Artificial intelligence (AI) tools used by South African medical schemes to detect fraud are perpetuating racial bias against black healthcare…
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RSV Infant Vaccine: Latest Developments in South Africa
A groundbreaking vaccine to protect infants from severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is now available in South Africa’s private healthcare sector. Still, a decision on its inclusion in the public programme remains pending. The country’s National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NAGI) has formally recommended the RSV infant vaccine for all pregnant women. They have left the final decision to the…
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Vaccine Campaigns Under Threat from Misinformation
A new wave of vaccine misinformation, led by US Secretary of Health & Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr, is threatening to undermine global public health. South African experts are warning of dire consequences. His recent social media attack on Gavi, the international vaccine alliance, and the widely used DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) vaccine overlooks decades of scientific evidence.…
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Local Medicine Manufacturing and National Health Security
In a strategic move to enhance local medicine manufacturing, Sahpra aims to fast-track the approval of locally made medicines. This is an effort to secure the national supply. Sahpra’s decision aims to address drug shortages and reduce reliance on imports. Furthermore, it aims to strengthen the nation’s pharmaceutical industry through initiatives in local medicine manufacturing. In a significant move to…
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Public Health Facilities: Understanding the Crisis
Recent demonstrations targeting foreign nationals at public health facilities have amplified a contentious narrative. This narrative suggests that outsiders are crippling South Africa’s overstretched, taxpayer-funded healthcare. While border facilities do face unique pressures, scapegoating migrants distracts from a far more corrosive reality. It is the deep-seated systemic failure in public health. The truth is that South Africa’s healthcare infrastructure has…
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Medical Schemes Face Legal Action Over Profiling
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) is considering legal action against major medical aid schemes and administrators in response to the report. It found evidence of racial profiling against Black healthcare providers. Medical schemes could be heavily impacted. The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has warned it may pursue legal action, potentially through the Equality Court, against some of South…