South Africa recorded approximately 54,000 deaths from tuberculosis (TB) in 2024, according to the latest World TB Report from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The figures confirm a slow but steady downward trend in TB deaths in recent years. This marks a significant improvement from two decades ago. During that time, the epidemic, fueled by the peak of the HIV…
Category: November 2025
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AfroCentric’s JSE Collapse Fuels a New Healthcare Empire
As insurance giant Sanlam tightens its grip on health-fin services specialist AfroCentric, the line between public company and private control has all but vanished. What remains is a powerful lesson in strategic patience. It reveals how corporations (or businesses) can methodically turn market neglect into a corporate opportunity. While AfroCentric still technically trades on the JSE, its story is no…
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NHI Funding Plan “Unworkable and Unfeasible,” warns HFA
South Africa’s ambitious National Health Insurance (NHI) plan is facing intense scrutiny. The Health Funders Association (HFA) warns that “uncertainty and contradictions” plague the government’s NHI funding plan. They render it “unworkable and unfeasible”. The HFA has raised fundamental questions about the affordability and sequencing of the NHI. They highlight contradictory timelines presented by the Department of Health in court…
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Cholera Vaccine Trial Aims for Self-Reliance in Africa
South Africa has taken a pivotal step towards pharmaceutical independence with the launch of a new South African cholera vaccine trial. The state-backed manufacturer, Biovac, in partnership with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), has initiated clinical trials for a candidate oral cholera vaccine. Many hail this development as a crucial move to reduce Africa’s dependence on imported medicines.…
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UK Cuts Contribution to Global Fund By 15 Percent
Britain has announced an £850 million pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, marking a significant 15% reduction in its contribution as the nation grapples with tighter domestic budgets. The pledge covers the 2026-2028 period. The UK government, historically a major donor to the Geneva-based health initiative, defended the decision by highlighting its expected impact. Officials…
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Long Covid Microclots Explained: A Medical Mystery
For millions globally, recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection has not meant a return to normal health. The lingering, often debilitating, symptoms of Long Covid – ranging from constant fatigue and ‘brain fog’ to muscle pain and heart palpitations – have remained a complex medical mystery. .New research, led by scientists from Stellenbosch University, suggests a physiological driver for these persistent symptoms:…
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Home-Based Hypertension Care Shows Dramatic Results
High blood pressure, often called the “silent killer,” is a significant public health crisis in South Africa. Implementing home-based hypertension care could be a crucial step in managing this issue. The 2023 Global Burden of Disease report ranked hypertension as the fifth-highest risk factor driving death and disability in the country. This is because it is a major contributor to…
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US Drug Prices Under Trump’s New Pharma Deals
Americans spend more on prescription drugs than any other nation. This fact is driven not just by volume but by staggering costs. Unlike in Europe, the US government has historically refrained from directly intervening in price setting. While modest changes under then-President Joe Biden offered some relief for seniors, his successor, Donald Trump, has vowed to aggressively slash US drug…
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Obesity Drug Deal: Trump Cuts Prices for Patients
US President Donald Trump has announced a landmark deal with drugmakers Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly, set to significantly reduce the price of hugely popular obesity drugs for millions of Americans. The agreement, unveiled at the White House, will slash costs for injectable treatments like Wegovy and Zepbound, as well as two forthcoming oral medications. The deal aims to save…
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Biovac R&D Lab to Drive Vaccine Manufacturing in Africa
State-backed vaccine manufacturer Biovac has officially launched a new product development laboratory at its Cape Town facility. This move strengthens its capacity to produce vaccines entirely on African soil, from start to finish. The new Biovac R&D lab in Pinelands, Cape Town, will enable scientists to conduct cutting-edge research and development (R&D) on the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for novel…
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Discovery and Google partner for Personalised Healthcare
Health and life insurer Discovery has announced a global partnership with Google, harnessing artificial intelligence to transform preventative healthcare. The initiative aims to provide individuals with highly personalised recommendations to improve their health, simultaneously helping to drive down the rising cost of insurance cover. The new platform, dubbed Vitality AI, combines the insurer’s extensive behavioural change expertise with Google Cloud’s…
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‘Mega Gap Claims’ Explode by 512% as Medical Aid Shortfalls Soar
South African medical scheme members are facing an unprecedented financial crisis, as new data reveals that “mega” out-of-pocket gap claims have exploded by 512% in just four years. This alarming trend highlights the soaring medical aid shortfalls patients are forced to pay, driven by specialists charging up to 500% of scheme rates and medical aids systematically reducing benefits. The data,…