Following the Medium-Term Budget Statement and recent parliamentary presentations, the National Health Insurance (NHI) is back in the headlines. While there is no dispute that South Africa’s healthcare system is profoundly unequal and requires urgent reform, the path forward remains fiercely contested. The current friction stems from a policy shift in 2007. Before this, post-apartheid reform favoured a phased approach…
Tag: Economy
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Botswana’s Drug Supply Disrupted by Diamond Crisis
Amid concerns over Botswana’s drug supply, the country’s President, Duma Boko, has declared a national public health emergency. He launched a 5 billion pula ($348 million) response plan as the country’s healthcare system buckles under the weight of a severe medical supply shortage. Indeed, Botswana’s drug supply is a central focus of this emergency plan. In a televised address to…
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SA Life Expectancy Gains and Public Health Advances
South Africans are living significantly longer lives. The national life expectancy at birth has surged by an impressive 12 years since the turn of the century, according to new data. This improvement highlights major advances in public health, particularly in the fight against HIV. Furthermore, it reflects an overall enhancement of living conditions across the nation, as shown by the…
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Medical Tax Credits: A Crucial Financial Relief
As South Africa moves towards implementing its ambitious National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, a critical detail causes alarm. The proposed removal of the medical tax credit, presented by the government as a funding measure, could unravel the healthcare safety net for hundreds of thousands of working families. Additionally, it could place the public health system under immense pressure. A new…
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NHI Dream and the Future of Healthcare Funding
The NHI dream of universal health coverage for all South Africans through the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme is facing a harsh economic reality. Political parties are grappling with a deadlocked 2025/26 national budget. The significant financial challenges required to implement the NHI dream have become increasingly evident. This has cast doubt on its feasibility in the current environment. Staggering…
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HFA’s NHI Court Challenge: A Legal Perspective
The contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) Act again faces court action, with HFA’s NHI court challenge marking its sixth legal challenge. This time, HFA’s NHI court challenge is brought by the Health Funders Association (HFA). The HFA represents a significant portion of South Africa’s medical scheme industry, including Discovery Health Medical Scheme. It has formally petitioned the court to declare…
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Medical Device Industry on the Brink as Debt Soars to R1.4 Billion
The South African medical device industry is sounding the alarm once again as provincial health departments, the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), and the SA Military Health Service collectively owe over R1.4 billion to medical suppliers. This debt, with a significant portion outstanding for more than 30 days, is pushing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the brink and threatening…
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Trump targets drug costs in sweeping executive order
US President Donald Trump has signed a wide-ranging executive order. It targets drug costs by directing pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices. The goal is to align with rates paid in other developed countries. This executive order marks a clear initiative where Trump targets drug costs. It fulfills a key campaign promise. The move was met with scepticism from analysts…
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SA Pharma Sector Unfazed by US Tariffs Impact
The SA pharma sector remains unfazed. South Africa’s largest trade association for pharmaceutical manufacturers has stated that it foresees no immediate risk to the local sector. This follows the announcement of sweeping tariffs by US President Donald Trump last week. According to Stavros Nicolaou, Chair of the Pharmaceutical Task Group (PTG), several factors mitigate the impact on the nation’s drug…