A new wave of “America First” industrial policy is reshaping global supply chains. Medicines and vaccines are increasingly treated as strategic assets, not just commercial products. That shift matters for South Africa, which still relies heavily on imports for essential health technologies, making discussions around Lenacapavir Manufacturing in SA increasingly important. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how quickly supply lines can…
Category: March 2026
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Roche Integration Accelerated: A New Era for Testing
Roche Diagnostics Africa launched Roche Integration Accelerated, a continent-wide initiative to expand access to testing for TB, HIV, HPV, and Hepatitis B and C. The programme leverages existing laboratory infrastructure. Unveiled on World TB Day, the initiative positions integration as a practical response to tightening budgets across African health systems. The core idea is simple. Many countries already have established…
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Health Ombud Findings Expose Patient Safety Failures in Gauteng
South Africa’s Health Ombud, Professor Taole Mokoena, has released findings into two separate patient deaths in Tshwane. These findings point to serious breakdowns in safety systems, clinical governance and accountability across both public and private care settings. The first investigation centres on the June 2024 death of 35-year-old psychiatric patient Lerato Mohlamme at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital near Ga-Rankuwa.…
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Asymptomatic TB is the Hidden Driver of Transmission
Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s toughest infectious diseases. It is curable, yet it still sickens millions each year and kills tens of thousands in South Africa. One reason is that TB can spread quietly. People can carry active disease in their lungs and remain infectious while feeling fine. This state is increasingly described as asymptomatic TB. Classic TB symptoms…
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Gauteng Patient Debt Recovery Targets Unpaid Fees
Gauteng’s public health system is tightening its grip on unpaid patient fees as outstanding debt climbs to about R4.6 billion. The Gauteng department of health says the recovery drive is now a priority, as the province faces sustained financial pressure and rising demand for services. The department confirmed that it is intensifying revenue collection as part of a broader financial…
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HPV Vaccination: School Vaccination Programme Cuts Risk
South Africa’s HPV vaccination drive is delivering measurable protection for teenagers, including those who later acquire HIV. New research led by scientists at Wits University shows the country’s school-based programme is sharply reducing infections with the two highest-risk HPV strains linked to cervical cancer. The vaccine used in the public programme targets HPV-16 and HPV-18, the strains responsible for around…
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Momentum Bonitas Deal Lifts Market Share To 30%
The Momentum Bonitas deal is set to reshape South Africa’s tightly concentrated medical scheme administration market. This follows Momentum Health winning the tender to administer the Bonitas Medical Fund. The transfer takes effect on 1 June 2026. It is being positioned by Momentum as a springboard for further growth in a sector dominated by a handful of large players. Momentum’s…
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Parmed Membership: MPs Push To End Compulsory Cover
The debate over political perks has shifted to medical aid. ActionSA MP Kgosi Letlape is lobbying to end compulsory membership of the Parmed medical scheme for MPs and other office-bearers. He argues that elected officials should be able to choose their own scheme. They should also be allowed to opt out entirely. Parmed is a restricted medical scheme. It is…
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Medical Aid Forensic Audits: UP Study Flags Physiotherapist Harm
Physiotherapists say medical aid forensic audits are leaving them “fearful, stigmatised and traumatised”, according to new research from the University of Pretoria (UP). The study suggests that processes meant to protect patients’ money may be causing serious harm to practitioners and destabilising private practices. Lesley Meyer, an extraordinary lecturer in UP’s department of physiotherapy, led a study recently published in…
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Animal Testing Alternatives: New FDA Guidance Insights
US regulators are stepping up efforts to reduce animal use in early drug development. On 18 March 2026, the US Food and Drug Administration issued draft guidance encouraging companies to swap or reduce animal studies where credible human-relevant tools exist. This marks an important recognition of the growing range of animal testing alternatives available to researchers. The FDA says a…
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AI Health Prompts Drive Earlier Cancer Detection at Discovery
Discovery Life says AI-driven health prompts are helping clients detect serious illness earlier, including cancer. The insurer shared the update to highlight how incentives and personalised recommendations can shift health behaviour. Discovery Life, part of JSE-listed Discovery, has long linked rewards to healthy choices through its Vitality programme. Now it is expanding that approach with AI-led prompts. The insurer has…