South Africa’s Certificate of Need Ruling has reset the policy debate on where health professionals may practise. On Monday, 18 May 2026, the Constitutional Court confirmed that provisions allowing the state to control where doctors and nurses work are unconstitutional. The court ordered that the provisions be removed from the legislation. The legal challenge was brought by Solidarity, the Alliance…
Tag: hospitals
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Certificate Of Need Ruling: ConCourt Strikes Down DoH Powers
South Africa’s certificate of need ruling has landed a major setback for government plans to direct where health services can operate. The Constitutional Court has declared the “certificate of need” provisions in the National Health Act unconstitutional. The decision ends a long legal fight that has run for more than two decades. The unanimous ruling confirms a 2024 Pretoria High…
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Medical Aid Tax Credits and Public Health Jobs
South Africa’s public health crisis is no longer only about disease burden. It is also about staffing, budgets and political choices. Furthermore, a new argument gaining traction is that austerity is shrinking frontline services. At the same time, the tax system still cushions households that can afford private cover, especially through benefits like Medical Aid Tax Credits. The government has…
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Albert Luthuli Hospital Crisis: Lives at Risk
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital is collapsing. The hospital is a cornerstone of KZN specialist healthcare. Senior doctors warn surgical capacity has plummeted by 60%. An exodus of specialists is crippling the facility. Its ICUs are critically understaffed. There is a severe shortage of essential supplies. Insiders describe an “austerity-fuelled” and life-threatening Albert Luthuli Hospital crisis. Doctors spoke on condition…
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Zimbabwe Health System: Urgent Government Measures
The Zimbabwean government is launching a series of urgent measures aimed at stabilizing the nation’s public health system. The Zimbabwe health system is currently grappling with significant challenges, including medicine shortages and under-equipped hospitals. Health and Child Care Minister Dr. Douglas Mombeshora confirmed the interventions. These include fast-tracking the procurement of essential medicines, earlier disbursement of allocated funds, and strengthening…
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Antibiotic Resistance Claims Lives of Premature Babies
South Africa is facing a critical public health crisis as antibiotic resistance increasingly undermines life-saving treatments, particularly for vulnerable infants. Experts say that antibiotic-resistant infections are now the leading cause of neonatal mortality in the country. This is especially true among premature babies who are prone to hospital-acquired infections. Antibiotic resistance claims lives needlessly, highlighting the severity of the crisis.…
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Gauteng health department criticised over unpaid gas bills
The Gauteng health department is again facing severe criticism. Its ongoing financial troubles have disrupted essential gas supplies at two major hospitals. Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital experienced gas supply interruptions from Egoli Gas due to unpaid bills, jeopardising patient care. The crisis stems from the department’s failure to settle a R15 million…