President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a pharmaceutical task force to address pressures on South Africa’s medicine manufacturers. The government-business initiative follows industry complaints that public procurement favours cheaper imports over domestic production. Alistair Ruiters, the President’s special adviser for investment promotion, said the Presidency would facilitate engagement. He emphasised the sector’s contribution to patient care, reliable medicine supplies, employment and…
Category: October 2026
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NHLS Governance Crisis Prompts Ministerial Intervention
The NHLS governance crisis has prompted Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appoint three senior figures to address deteriorating oversight and financial management. The intervention follows missed deadlines for the National Health Laboratory Service’s 2025/26 financial statements and annual report. Meanwhile, provincial health departments owe the organisation R10.6 billion, threatening its financial sustainability. The NHLS provides almost all diagnostic testing for…
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WOWRewards pilot offers food vouchers for healthy choices
The WOWRewards pilot offers Western Cape residents food vouchers for exercise, vaccinations and medicine collection. Explore its prevention goals. The WOWRewards pilot will offer Western Cape public healthcare users food vouchers worth up to R100 monthly for completing approved health activities. Launched in Westridge, Mitchells Plain, on 10 October, the programme tests whether modest incentives can encourage healthier habits. It…
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Prescribed Minimum Benefits and Cost Control Solutions
Medical scheme members cannot keep absorbing above-inflation increases or downgrading to cheaper options indefinitely, the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) says. The industry body is therefore calling for long-delayed reform of prescribed minimum benefits (PMBs) and collective tariff bargaining. BHF managing director Katlego Mothudi told Moneyweb that reform must address what schemes cover. The BHF has written to the Council…
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Mental Healthcare Access: A Rising Challenge Today
Depression costs at GEMS rose 198% since 2019, and experts say mental healthcare must be easier to access and integrated into primary care. Rising demand for mental healthcare is driving sharp cost increases, with the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) paying R2.75bn for depression treatment in 2025. That is a 198% increase on the R923.9m it paid in 2019. Metropolitan…
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Healthcare accountability must keep pace with AI
Healthcare accountability must advance alongside artificial intelligence (AI) and genomics to improve patient safety, former health ombud Professor Makgoba argues. In a keynote address to the South African Medico-legal Association’s annual national conference, he urged professionals to confront medical errors. He also called for an ethical framework that better reflects South Africa’s constitutional values and cultural diversity. Makgoba, a former…
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JSE healthcare shares: Aspen leads gains
JSE healthcare shares have advanced this year, with Aspen Pharmacare’s recovery outpacing gains at Netcare and Life Healthcare. However, analysts say sustained growth will depend on manufacturing execution and hospital patient volumes. Aspen has gained about 40% since January and more than 60% over 12 months. At roughly R160 this week, its market value stood near R69bn. Aspen Leads JSE…
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Cancer in South Africa: Deaths Set to Nearly Double by 2050
Deaths from cancer in South Africa are forecast to nearly double, from about 64,000 in 2024 to 127,000 in 2050, according to Global Burden of Disease (GBD) projections. Experts quoted by Spotlight and Daily Maverick link the rise mainly to an ageing population and changing lifestyles. Measuring the cancer burden The National Cancer Registry recorded about 91,600 diagnosed cases in…
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Infection Prevention and Control Spending Rises in SA
Rising antimicrobial resistance is pushing South African and African hospitals to strengthen infection prevention and control. As a result, the sector is investing more in equipment, supplies and systems that support safer care. Hospital supplies market expands Analysts project the South African hospital supplies market will grow from roughly USD 0.96 billion in 2025 to USD 1.39 billion by 2031.…
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Medicine Shortages: Experts Call for Patient-Access Measures
South Africa should judge medicine shortages by whether patients receive their full treatment on time, not only by stock figures, according to a recent opinion piece. The author argues that public reporting on patient access would show whether current supply measures actually work. Department reassures on generics On 1 September 2026, the National Department of Health explained that changes in…
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Nobel Prize in Medicine 2026 Awarded for Optogenetics
American Karl Deisseroth and Germans Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for developing optogenetics. The technique uses light to control individual nerve cells in the brain. The Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute announced the award on Monday. It recognised the trio’s discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics. Deisseroth, 54, Hegemann, 71,…
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Gender Pain Gap: Women Report More Pain Than Men
A major global study has found that women report more pain than men across every body site measured, adding weight to concerns about the gender pain gap. The gap also means women are less likely to receive the pain relief they need. Published in Nature Medicine, the study drew on data from more than 6 million people in 118 countries…