Financial stress is the top contributor to poor mental health across every generation in South Africa, according to a new survey by private hospital group Mediclinic. Between 59% and 66% of respondents in each generation cited it as a cause. Moreover, 45% said they had never used a mental healthcare provider, partly because of cost and partly because of stigma.…
Category: Recent News
The most recent Health Matters reporting.
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Opioid Overprescribing Raises Safety Concerns
Routine opioid overprescribing after minor surgery is exposing South African patients to addiction risks, according to a columnist discharged with four pain medicines after a relatively minor operation. Experts quoted in the piece say safer, cheaper options are usually enough. The patient received Targinact, OxyNorm, Stilpane and Xefo Rapid. Each carries concerns, the writer argues, and taking all four together…
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Clicks Annual Results Show Turnover Topping R50bn
Clicks annual results show group turnover passing R50bn for the first time, as the health and beauty retailer returned R976m in cashback rewards to loyalty members. Turnover rose 5.4% to R50.4bn in the year to end-August, or about R138m a day. Loyalty and discounts amid cost pressures Clicks ClubCard had 13.1 million active members, who accounted for more than four-fifths…
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Provincial Health Departments Pose a Significant Fiscal Risk
Weak financial controls in provincial health departments pose significant fiscal risks, according to Treasury’s medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS), tabled in Parliament on Wednesday. Treasury highlighted unpaid obligations, mounting debts and medico-legal claims as key pressures on health budgets. Audit Outcomes and Unpaid Bills Five of the nine provincial health departments received qualified audits for 2025/2026, the Auditor-General told Parliament…
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Cancer Drug Prices Reduced for 137 Vital Medicines in India
India is cutting cancer drug prices by up to 70% after adding 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines to its price control list. The move aims to make treatment more affordable in the country’s $2.6 billion oncology market, according to a statement from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers. Margins capped across all formulations The medicines include immunotherapy drugs used for 20…
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Health Emergency Preparedness in Africa Strengthened
The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have agreed on a framework to strengthen health emergency preparedness across Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. The framework emerged from a meeting of Regional Economic Communities in Lusaka, Zambia, held from 14 to 16 October 2026. Regional blocs and partners meet Five regional blocs took part: SADC,…
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RAF Medical Expense Claims: SCA Blocks Scheme Deductions
RAF medical expense claims cannot be reduced because a medical scheme has paid or will pay treatment costs, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has ruled. Discovery Health welcomed the unanimous judgment, delivered on 16 October 2026, saying it protects members’ rights and supports medical schemes’ recoveries. The ruling follows litigation over RAF directives that sought to exclude expenses already…
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NHI implementation: Rights, Funding and Legal Scrutiny
NHI implementation must advance equitable healthcare access despite legal delays. However, constitutional obligations and the merits of a particular funding model remain separate questions. Section 27 guarantees access to healthcare services. It requires reasonable legislative and other measures, within available resources, to progressively realise that right. It does not prescribe NHI as the required financing mechanism. In February 2026, the…
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Medical Indemnity: Managing South Africa’s Liability Risks
Medical indemnity remains a key practice-management concern in South Africa, where negligence claims expose public budgets and private providers to different financial risks. For provincial health departments, compensation payments compete with spending on patient services. Meanwhile, private practitioners rely on their own liability and indemnity arrangements. However, international comparisons require caution. American physician surveys measure doctors’ experience of litigation, while…
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Medicine Price Increase Adds R1bn to Scheme Costs
An extraordinary medicine price increase could add R1bn to medical schemes’ costs in 2027, after schemes submitted their budgets. The Health Department announced the additional 2.88% single exit price (SEP) adjustment on 30 September, effective from 1 October. It cited cost pressures for pharmaceutical manufacturers, including geopolitical tensions. The adjustment follows an earlier 1.47% increase in 2026. Although annual increases…
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HIV Treatment Simplification Could Ease Clinic Pressure
HIV treatment simplification could ease pressure on South Africa’s health system by reducing unnecessary clinic visits, Dr Anna Grimsrud and Lynne Wilkinson argue. The authors propose longer medicine supplies, annual clinical reviews for stable adults and stronger patient recall systems. Their recommendations come amid funding uncertainty for the world’s largest HIV treatment programme. They cite June 2026 reports of a…
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Illegal Weight-Loss Medicines Face Regulatory Crackdown
Illegal weight-loss medicines are facing increased scrutiny as pharmaceutical manufacturers demand stronger law enforcement and regulators prepare tighter rules governing compounded obesity treatments. The Pharmaceutical Task Group (PTG) has called for prosecutions against individuals and businesses selling unregistered medicines. Meanwhile, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and South African Pharmacy Council are developing updated compounding standards. The interventions…