In a significant move for the local pharmaceutical industry, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has proposed a new localisation policy to prioritise the registration of locally manufactured products. This policy aims to expedite the lengthy medicine registration process for local manufacturers compared to their foreign counterparts. Stavros Nicolaou, group senior executive for strategic trade at Aspen Pharmacare,…
Category: June 2024
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Tech advancements boost health monitoring and management
Despite concerns about technology’s impact on health due to inactivity, advancements in health tech, including wearables and facial scans, significantly improve health outcomes. At a Momentum Multiply roundtable, dietician Mbali Mapholi highlighted how apps like FatSecret and MyFitnessPal make tracking and managing calorie intake easier, promoting healthier lifestyle choices. Research from the National Centre for Biotechnology Information reveals that while…
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GNU clouds future of National Health Insurance Act
Despite the formation of a new government, court challenges to the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act are likely to proceed, says an industry body representing medical aid funds. The Health Funders Association (HFA) convened a scenario planning symposium this week, during which stakeholders evaluated possible outcomes for the NHI following the establishment of a government of national unity. The NHI…
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HIV testing crucial as Mpox spreads across South Africa
In light of more than a dozen severe Mpox cases in South Africa, experts do not foresee a widespread epidemic but are urging people to get tested for HIV. Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, results in flu-like symptoms and a skin infection with a rash, lesions, or blisters. Although typically not fatal, two of the 13 hospitalised patients in…
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Private healthcare leaders flag many NHI challenges
The Health Funders Association (HFA), representing stakeholders in South Africa’s private healthcare funding sector, recently held a symposium to discuss the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act. The seminar focused on the changes the private health industry might face and their potential effects on the country, the health sector, and medical scheme members. Dr Paula Armstrong, Senior Director at FTI Consulting,…
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Discovery asks court to declare RAF in breach of order
Medical scheme administrator Discovery Health has intensified its legal challenge against the Road Accident Fund (RAF) and its CEO, Collins Letsoalo. On Thursday, Discovery Health requested the court to declare the RAF and Letsoalo in breach of a previous judgment and to resume paying claims from medical schemes. Initially, Discovery sought a contempt of court ruling against the RAF and…
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Biovac secures partnerships for polio and meningitis vaccines
State-backed vaccine manufacturer Biovac has revitalised its operations through significant partnerships and investment. The company has signed agreements with multinational pharmaceutical giant Sanofi and South Korean firm EuBiologics to produce vaccines for polio and meningitis. Additionally, Biovac has received a €10 million commitment from the French government. This funding is to expedite its work on an oral cholera vaccine. These…
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Health Funders Association hoping for NHI rethink
The Health Funders Association (HFA), a key industry group for medical schemes, is optimistic that the new national unity government will allow for reconsideration of the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) Act. The HFA’s members, including the largest Discovery Health Medical Scheme, cover about half of South Africa’s 9 million medical scheme beneficiaries. HFA chair Craig Comrie said their optimism…
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Consolidated NHI legal challenges will have more clout
There are six legal challenges against the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, filed by Solidarity, the Health Funders’ Association, the South African Medical Association, the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF), the South African Health Professionals Collaboration, and the Democratic Alliance. Elsabe Klinck, managing director at Elsabe Klinck and Associates, anticipates these cases will eventually be consolidated, which might initially delay…
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SA adopts single dose HPV vaccine regimen
A decade into its cervical cancer vaccination programme, South Africa strives to increase HPV vaccination coverage to combat cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer in women in the country. HPV infection, accounting for 95% of global cervical cancer cases, is targeted by the national HPV vaccination campaign launched in 2014. HPV vaccination coverage among eligible pupils stands at…
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Pandemic preparedness lags as mpox outbreak spreads
The shortage of mpox vaccines and treatments in African countries experiencing outbreaks highlights the world’s inadequate preparedness for another pandemic, according to Helen Clark, former co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. South Africa, which has reported seven mpox cases since May, is negotiating for vaccine donations from Western countries with surplus stock but has not yet…
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Dis-Chem’s ambitious plan to catch up with Clicks
Dis-Chem’s strategy to expand its store footprint by 45% over the next three years is ambitious. This plan aims to match its main competitor, Clicks, in terms of store space in various regions. In Gauteng, Dis-Chem and Clicks are nearly equal in space. However, Clicks has two to three times more space in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape. Historically,…