South Africa has made real progress against tuberculosis (TB). However, it will fall well short of its 2030 targets. Low TB testing rates are the single biggest reason, according to new modelling published in the journal Global Health Action. The study projects TB incidence falling 46% by 2030 from a 2015 baseline. This falls short of the World Health Organisation…
Category: September 2025
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Private Healthcare Market Dominance Reveals Serious Problems
A new report reveals a troubling reality. A small group of private hospitals and medical schemes are earning huge profits. This is due to their ongoing market dominance. The advocacy group Open Secrets states that a lack of regulation is a key factor in this issue. Six years ago, the Competition Commission raised similar concerns. However, very little has changed…
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Discovery Defers Contribution Increase Until April
Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) has announced a significant decision. It will defer its 2026 contribution increase for three months. This move will return about R1.5 billion to its members. This deferral provides welcome financial relief for many families. It is possible because of the scheme’s strong financial position./h Understanding the 2026 Contribution Increase Deferral Members will not see a…
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Netcare’s mental health services in high demand
Private hospital group Netcare has highlighted a continued and robust demand for mental healthcare services across South Africa. This signals a growing public health concern as more individuals seek help for conditions previously shrouded in stigma. The report comes amidst wider calls for systemic reform to address the nation’s deepening mental health crisis. In a recent trading update, Netcare confirmed…
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Tembisa Hospital Corruption Investigation Findings
A sprawling web of organised corruption has systematically looted an estimated R2 billion from Tembisa Hospital. This has transformed the public healthcare facility into a captured state economy, exploited by criminal syndicates and corrupt officials. An explosive interim report by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) details a coordinated scheme. It implicates rogue officials from both the hospital and the Gauteng…
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Health Funding Solution: Steps by National Treasury
The National Treasury is preparing a new bill. This is a crucial move for the health sector. It will address a severe funding shortfall. The gap is a result of the withdrawal of US donor aid. This withdrawal puts essential health programs at risk. HIV/AIDS services are particularly vulnerable. The government is now proposing a health funding solution. The financial…
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A Diabetes Data Crisis is Making the Epidemic Invisible in SA
South Africa is grappling with a severe public health emergency as diabetes solidifies its position as one of the nation’s leading causes of death, according to Statistics South Africa. This alarming situation is part of a larger diabetes data crisis. Yet, a shocking and abrupt revision in international estimates has revealed a parallel crisis: the country does not reliably know…
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Global Fund Replenishment: Addressing Critical Needs
The fight against AIDS, TB, and malaria is at risk. Global health financing faces severe cuts. This threatens decades of progress. Urgent calls are being made for Global Fund replenishment. Without it, countless lives are in danger. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has sounded an alarm. The medical group has released a new report. It is titled Deadly Gaps. The report…
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Lenacapavir Access Under Scrutiny by Health Advocates
A global coalition of health advocates is intensifying its campaign against pharmaceutical giant Gilead Sciences. They demand equitable access to its revolutionary long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir. Activists are calling for a universal generic price of $40 per person per year for all low and middle-income countries. They warn that Gilead’s current policies entrench life-threatening inequities in the global…
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UNAIDS Closure Causes Outrage Among Health Advocates
South African health advocates have issued a stark warning. They believe the planned closure of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/Aids (UNAIDS) will have a devastating effect on millions of lives. This also risks derailing decades of progress in the global fight against the epidemic. According to a United Nations document released this week, the United Nations will “sunset” the…
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Precision Medicine: Transforming Treatment Approaches
A quiet revolution is reshaping healthcare, shifting the focus from merely managing symptoms to fundamentally altering the course of complex diseases. At the forefront of this evolution are two critical fields: precision medicine in oncology and groundbreaking new treatments for severe mental health conditions like schizophrenia and treatment-resistant depression. These advancements signal a move away from one-size-fits-all approaches and towards…
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NHLS Cancer Testing Delays Outsourcing Solutions
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) has confirmed it is engaging private sector laboratories to address a critical backlog in cancer testing at its Johannesburg facility. This backlog has left some public healthcare patients waiting as long as three months for potentially life-saving diagnostic results. The NHLS, which forms the diagnostic backbone of the nation’s public health system, is facing…