South Africa’s massive HIV response has hit a significant roadblock. The country’s leading mathematical tool for tracking HIV trends, the Thembisa model, has released its latest estimates. They reveal that the South African HIV treatment programme recorded its slowest annual growth in two decades. Between 2024 and 2025, the number of people receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) increased by just 40,000.…
Category: May 2026
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SA’s Missing Middle Faces Growing Healthcare Crisis
South Africa’s healthcare system has long faced a stark divide. An overburdened public sector stands in sharp contrast to a costly private system. However, industry experts warn that the nation’s most urgent challenge is a widening gap between the two. This issue is often referred to as SA’s Missing Middle. The “missing middle” consists of working South Africans who earn…
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GLP-1 Drugs In SA Start To Reshape Food And Alcohol Spend
GLP-1 drugs have moved fast. They started as treatments for type-2 diabetes. Now they are a global health and consumer trend. In South Africa, medicines such as Ozempic and other semaglutide-based therapies are attracting wider attention. The reason is simple. These drugs reduce appetite and support weight management. They also sit within a bigger shift towards preventive health. Some researchers…
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Biovac Vaccine Tender Secures Critical R5.3bn State Contract
The Biovac Institute has retained a critical contract to supply the South African state with Hexaxim. Hexaxim is the six-in-one shot provided to infants in the national childhood immunisation programme. The R5.3bn award was announced in the Department of Health’s next three-year national vaccine tender. This tender is set to begin on January 1, 2027. This contract is vital to…
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Lenacapavir Rollout in South Africa Set For June 5 Launch
South Africa will begin providing Gilead’s long-acting HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, on 5 June 2026, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi told Parliament during his department’s budget vote. The twice-yearly shot serves as a major new tool for prevention. This follows trial data, which showed near-complete protection against HIV when used as PrEP. Motsoaledi said the country could “eliminate HIV/Aids as a…
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Africa Vaccine Procurement Framework Promises Security
Africa CDC and Aspen Pharmacare say they are in advanced discussions about a long-term demand-and-supply alignment plan that could reshape how African countries buy vaccines made on the continent. As part of these talks, officials are considering the Africa Vaccine Procurement Framework to support the process. They announced the engagement on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.…
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Biovac Expansion Fundraising: $20M Secured from France
South African vaccine manufacturer Biovac has secured a further $20m (R327m) from two French development finance institutions. This brings its total fundraising to $128m (R2.4bn) and leaves the company within striking distance of its $180m (R2.95bn) target. Moreover, this new investment marks a significant milestone in the ongoing Biovac expansion fundraising effort. Agence Française de Développement and its private-sector arm,…
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German Drug Price Reforms Shake Pharma And Hospitals
Germany’s cost-of-care debate is moving from rhetoric to legislation. And it is landing hard on medicines and hospitals. The latest discussions on German drug price reforms come as Berlin is trying to stabilise statutory health insurance funds that are projected to drift deeper into deficit. Government estimates put the potential shortfall at around €40bn by 2030 if spending is not…
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AI Diagnostic Tools Outperform Doctors In Hospital Study
In a landmark experiment, South African researchers have revealed that artificial intelligence now surpasses human doctors in hospital ward diagnoses. The study took place at a large public hospital. It suggests that AI Diagnostic Tools could soon become essential for reducing the workloads of overstretched healthcare staff. While free chatbots often provide unreliable health advice, these commercially available systems proved…
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Dis-Chem Health Hub Drives Integrated Primary Care
Dis-Chem is stepping up its shift from pharmacy-led retail to wider healthcare delivery. The group says it wants to tackle South Africa’s “fragmented” healthcare system. Consumers often face rising costs. They also face long waiting times. Services can feel disconnected. The retailer’s answer is a new Dis-Chem Health Hub model. It brings multiple services into one setting. The pilot format…
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GEMS 2026 Contribution Increase Cut To 7.5% From July
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) revised its contribution increase to provide members with further financial relief. At the same time, it aims to protect the scheme’s long-term sustainability. GEMS principal officer Dr Stan Moloabi said the scheme is “acutely aware” of rising living costs and the impact on public servants and their families. GEMS is one of South Africa’s…
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Zimbabwe National Health Strategy Aims to Transform Healthcare
Zimbabwe has taken a significant step towards reshaping its health system, launching a high-level validation workshop for its National Health Strategy 2026-2030. Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora told stakeholders the strategy arrives at a “defining moment” for the country. He urged them to view it not as a policy document, but as an actionable roadmap. Importantly, it is aligned with Zimbabwe’s…