Essential medicine shortages are forcing South Africa’s public hospitals and clinics to find alternatives or give patients prescriptions to fill at private pharmacies. The National Health Department’s October hotlist flagged 165 products in critically short supply, including treatments for cancer and severe mental illness. Its November master products list includes 1,135 medicines that provinces can procure. Andy Gray, a senior…
Tag: Public Procurement
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ARV Tender Suffers a Blow as High Court Sets Aside Contracts
The High Court in Pretoria has declared the main contracts in the Health Department’s R15.5 billion ARV tender unconstitutional and invalid. The court set aside two contracts for monthly and three-monthly packs of tenofovir, lamivudine and dolutegravir (TLD), worth a combined R12.63 billion. TLD is the triple combination pill taken by most of South Africa’s HIV-positive patients. According to Treasury,…
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Imported Medicines Threaten SA’s Local Pharmaceutical Industry
South Africa’s local pharmaceutical manufacturers have warned that the Department of Health’s growing reliance on imported medicines could place jobs, industrial capacity, and the country’s security of medicine supply at risk. The warning follows analysis by Pharmaceuticals Made in SA (Pharmisa). Their findings show that importers have steadily increased their share of two of the Department of Health’s biggest medicine…
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SA Pharma Localisation Faces Foreign Investor Pressure
South Africa’s pharmaceutical sector has become a major industrial battleground. The government is pushing hard to localise production and boost public procurement. It also wants to rebuild domestic capacity. However, outside forces are complicating these goals. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau delivered this warning at a recent stakeholder engagement. He noted that foreign investors remain highly interested in…
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NHI Corruption Risks Heightened By Home Affairs Scandal, Arrests
The integrity of South Africa’s future healthcare system is under intense scrutiny. Recent investigations by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) have exposed deep-seated rot within the Department of Home Affairs. These findings provide a grim reminder of the systemic challenges facing South African governance. For the healthcare industry, these revelations are particularly troubling, highlighting the risks of NHI corruption. They…
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HIV ARV Tender Crisis Triggers Parliamentary Scrutiny
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi faces urgent questions in Parliament after two companies holding major government contracts to supply HIV medicines entered business rescue. The concern is immediate and practical. Any disruption to antiretroviral (ARV) supply can lead to missed doses. That raises the risk of treatment failure and drug resistance. South Africa carries the world’s biggest HIV burden. An estimated…