South Africa’s AIDS Drug Tender Controversy has escalated in Parliament, after Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi sought to distance himself from the department’s latest antiretroviral procurement saga. He told MPs that director-general Sandile Buthelezi, as the department’s accounting officer, carries full responsibility for procurement sign-off. This includes the R15.5bn AIDS drug tender announced in August. The tender covers the three-in-one…
Category: February 2026
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Medical Negligence Compensation Reform Impacts on Budgets
South Africa’s system for compensating victims of medical negligence is under severe pressure. Nowhere is that clearer than in the Eastern Cape. The province paid out more than R630m in medical negligence claims in the 2024/25 financial year. That is about 2% of its R30.1bn budget. The Eastern Cape governent didn’t plan for these payouts, and the result is predictable.…
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GEMS Contribution Increase Sparks Union Backlash
Trade unions in the Public Service Co-ordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) have rejected the Government Employees Medical Scheme’s (GEMS) decision to raise member contributions in 2026. The scheme implemented a 9.8% increase from January 2026. It will then apply a revised 9.5% increase from 1 April 2026. Unions say the hikes are economically unjustifiable and socially regressive. They argue the increases…
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Malaria Financing In Africa: Strategies and Solutions
As African leaders met in Addis Ababa for the 39th AU Summit, malaria was back in the spotlight. Malaria Financing In Africa is now more urgent as new data indicate that the disease is increasing again after years of progress. That reversal is colliding with shrinking donor support and harsher climate conditions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 610,000…
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US Childhood Vaccine Schedule Under Legal Challenge
Major US medical organisations are asking a federal judge in Boston to urgently block new federal guidance that reduces the number of vaccines routinely recommended for children. The debate centres on whether changes to the US Childhood Vaccine Schedule by the administration could impact public health. In addition, the case is shaping up as a pivotal test of how far…
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FDA Unpredictable: Moderna Challenges the Agency
Moderna has launched a rare public attack on the US Food and Drug Administration, warning that an “unpredictable” regulator could weaken America’s lead in drug innovation. During the call, company leaders specifically argued that the FDA’s unpredictable decision-making undermines industry momentum. The comments came during the company’s Friday analyst call. This was just days after the FDA declined to accept…
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EC Medico-Legal Claims: SCA Overturns Public Care Remedy
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has struck down a High Court approach that could have reshaped the way the Eastern Cape Department of Health handles escalating medico-legal claims. The appeal court ruled on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, that allowing the department to provide future healthcare services instead of paying damages “violated the child’s best interests”. Appeal Court judge Ashton…
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Value-Based Healthcare: A New Approach to Care
South Africa’s medical aid market is under fresh scrutiny for a pattern that clinicians and members know too well. This has prompted renewed discussion about value-based healthcare and its potential to improve patient outcomes and system sustainability. Schemes routinely fund high-cost, late-stage interventions. Yet they often resist paying for prevention and side-effect management that could avoid hospital admissions later. This…
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Sizwe Hosmed Curator Replacement Ordered By High Court
The medical schemes regulator has won its bid to replace Sizwe Hosmed’s curator. This successful Sizwe Hosmed curator replacement, according to the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), will not disrupt the scheme. It also stressed that Sizwe Hosmed remains fully operational. A High Court order handed down on Wednesday in Pretoria confirmed Ian Fleming as curator with immediate effect. He…
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NHI Public Participation Challenge Reshapes Legislative Focus
\n\nGetty Images for Unsplash\n\n\n\nThe shift matters because it could determine the fate of several parallel cases. The court has signalled that if the public participation challenge succeeds, arguments about the President’s decision to sign may become irrelevant. In practical terms, this means the court may delay the most politically charged question – whether Ramaphosa acted rationally when signing the NHI…
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Gauteng Hospital Overcrowding: MEC Denial Sparks Backlash
Gauteng Hospital Overcrowding is one of the pressing issues facing Gauteng’s public health system and is contributing to its credibility problem. It is not only about beds, wards, or staffing. It is also about how leadership responds when patients and clinicians describe conditions that feel unsafe and undignified. This week, Gauteng health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko pushed back against claims that…