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…
Category: July 2025
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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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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…
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Physiotherapists Gain Approval for Centralised Buying
South Africa’s physiotherapy industry, comprising numerous physiotherapists, has been granted permission to consolidate its purchasing power for the next five years. The Competition Commission states that this move should result in lower prices for consumers. However, the authority has drawn a firm line by rejecting a controversial request for physiotherapists to collectively negotiate service fees with medical aid schemes. The…
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Public Healthcare Advocacy Sparked by ActionSA Campaign
A campaign spearheaded by ActionSA MP Dr Kgosi Letlape, urging public officials to use public healthcare facilities exclusively, is gaining traction. It is also forcing a much-needed national conversation about public healthcare in the country. The proposal, which Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi endorses, suggests that if leaders experienced the healthcare system designed for the majority, they would feel compelled…