Medicine shortages have prompted the Western Cape government to seek urgent national intervention, including an investigation into possible port delays affecting imported medicines. Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger has asked Transport Minister Barbara Creecy to help identify logistical obstacles and prioritise medicine consignments. Her request highlights concerns about the Port of Durban. However, authorities have yet to establish the…
Author: admin
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China clinical trials draw global drugmakers
China clinical trials are attracting international drugmakers seeking faster patient recruitment and lower costs, while raising questions about safety oversight and transparency. China accounted for 45% of new clinical trials for innovative medicines in 2025, according to pharmaceutical data provider Norstella. Its share stood below 5% in 2008. Meanwhile, McKinsey estimates that Phase 1 costs per patient in China are…
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Clicks Annual Results Show Turnover Topping R50bn
Clicks annual results show group turnover passing R50bn for the first time, as the health and beauty retailer returned R976m in cashback rewards to loyalty members. Turnover rose 5.4% to R50.4bn in the year to end-August, or about R138m a day. Loyalty and discounts amid cost pressures Clicks ClubCard had 13.1 million active members, who accounted for more than four-fifths…
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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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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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Mediscor Medicines Review 2024: Key Insights Revealed
The Mediscor Medicines Review 2024 reveals a significant 5.0% increase in medicine expenditure. This marks the most substantial rise in the past three years, presenting a complex challenge for South Africa’s healthcare sector. As a leading pharmaceutical benefits management (PBM) organisation covering over 2.6 million lives, Mediscor’s annual analysis provides a critical barometer for the industry. The 2024 report highlights…
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HIV Prevention Injection Changes the Game in Treatment
South Africa will introduce a groundbreaking twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, in select public clinics by April 2026. This move marks a significant step forward in the nation’s fight against HIV, offering a highly effective and convenient alternative to daily pills. However, this progress comes as another long-acting injectable, cabotegravir (CAB-LA), remains stalled despite having a four-year head start. The…
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Albert Luthuli Hospital Crisis: Lives at Risk
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital is collapsing. The hospital is a cornerstone of KZN specialist healthcare. Senior doctors warn surgical capacity has plummeted by 60%. An exodus of specialists is crippling the facility. Its ICUs are critically understaffed. There is a severe shortage of essential supplies. Insiders describe an “austerity-fuelled” and life-threatening Albert Luthuli Hospital crisis. Doctors spoke on condition…
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BHF’s NHI Legal Challenge and Its Implications for UHC
South Africa’s NHI Act faces a major legal challenge. The Board of Healthcare Funders’ (BHF) NHI legal challenge argues that the law is unconstitutional and unworkable. This move adds uncertainty to the landmark law. It aims for universal health coverage (UHC). Critics note its lack of a clear funding model. The BHF supports UHC’s goal. However, they consider the current…
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Reversing Medical Tourism in Africa: The Abuja Initiative
Once a prime destination for global elites seeking top-tier medical care in the 1960s, Nigeria’s healthcare landscape has undergone a dramatic shift. Today, the nation faces a staggering financial outflow as its citizens, and other Africans, spend billions abroad for treatment. A landmark new facility in Abuja, however, signals a bold ambition for reversing medical tourism in Africa. This aims…
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WHO Cuts Jobs and Restructures Operations
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is undertaking a major restructuring that includes over 1,000 job losses. It also involves relocating four key departments from its headquarters in Geneva. These changes are due to severe budget cuts following the United States’ decision to leave the agency. Internal documents reveal the global health body is scaling back its operations. It must streamline…
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Botswana’s Drug Supply Disrupted by Diamond Crisis
Amid concerns over Botswana’s drug supply, the country’s President, Duma Boko, has declared a national public health emergency. He launched a 5 billion pula ($348 million) response plan as the country’s healthcare system buckles under the weight of a severe medical supply shortage. Indeed, Botswana’s drug supply is a central focus of this emergency plan. In a televised address to…