An industry group has warned that South Africa’s emphasis on securing the lowest possible prices for medicine is excluding local pharmaceutical companies from important state contracts. This issue highlights the challenges faced by local pharmaceutical manufacturing. In particular, they struggle to remain competitive in the market. Pharmaceuticals Made in South Africa (Pharmisa) told Parliament that the Health Department’s procurement policies…
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 Cuts Deepen Global HIV Crisis
An inaccurate map of Africa presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro drew criticism. US officials incorrectly placed Mozambique in the Horn of Africa and moved Ivory Coast from West to East Africa. The mistakes damaged the goodwill built by the Trump administration’s decision to attend the conference, and officials also addressed questions about changes to…
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Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Crisis Threatens Patient Care
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital faces growing financial and supply pressures. Insiders warn that the problems could lead to a broader breakdown in medical services. The hospital is allegedly struggling with unpaid supplier accounts, chronic stock shortages and delayed purchase orders. These challenges have reportedly affected dialysis services, intensive care treatment and major surgery. A source close to the hospital’s…
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Brics Health Cooperation Advances UHC Ambitions
Brics member states have committed to deeper healthcare collaboration after adopting the 16th Brics Health Ministers’ Declaration. The agreement builds on an earlier pledge to work collectively towards universal health coverage, or UHC. More than 70 representatives and partner organisations endorsed the declaration during a recent Brics health ministers’ meeting in Chandigarh, India. Delegates identified nine priority areas for cooperation.…
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Avoidable Blindness In Africa Threatens Eye Health
Avoidable blindness in Africa remains one of the continent’s most serious eye health challenges. Millions of people continue to experience vision loss caused by cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and uncorrected refractive errors. Many of these conditions can be treated or managed when detected early. However, patients often reach specialists after significant vision loss has already occurred. Ophthalmologist Dr Mpopi Lenake…
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Lenacapavir Production in South Africa Moves Closer
Three South African pharmaceutical manufacturers have reached the shortlist to potentially produce Gilead Sciences’ HIV-prevention injection, lenacapavir. Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaala confirmed the development at the 26th International Aids Conference in Rio de Janeiro. The South African National Aids Council evaluated submissions received through a call for expressions of interest. It then selected three possible manufacturers. Phaala declined to…
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South Africa’s Population Growth Holds at 1.2%
South Africa’s population grew by an estimated 1.2% in the year to June 2026. This brought the total population to 63.52 million, according to the latest mid-year population estimates from Statistics South Africa. The rate was broadly unchanged from 2025. During that year, the population increased by 1.23% to 63.1 million. South Africa’s population has grown from 42.9 million in…
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Sixty60 Pharmacy Delivery Threatens Clicks And Dis-Chem
Shoprite Group’s Sixty60 service is changing more than grocery retail. Its speed, convenience and reliability are resetting what shoppers expect online. Now Sixty60 pharmacy delivery could reshape South Africa’s chemist market too. Shoprite has described Sixty60 as a single consumer platform. The goal is one-hour delivery across all its corporate brands. That ambition carries major implications for the pharmacy sector.…
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Rosebank Health Village Expands Growthpoint Portfolio
Growthpoint Healthcare Property Holdings (GHPH) has completed a R100 million healthcare development in Rosebank, Johannesburg. The new Rosebank Health Village expands the fund’s exposure to specialist medical real estate. It also marks the first step in a planned network of integrated healthcare facilities. GHPH developed the two-storey facility with healthcare provider Epione. The partners plan to establish more health villages…