Health insurance is now the fastest-growing segment of South Africa’s private healthcare market, driven by consumers seeking more affordable options than traditional medical aid. Momentum Health estimates the health insurance market is growing by 14% to 16% annually, significantly outpacing the largely stagnant medical scheme sector. Over 1.2 million principal members now hold health insurance policies, covering nearly 2 million…
Tag: South Africa healthcare
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Liver Perfusion Machine Boosts South Africa’s Transplant Care
A R2.7 million Liver Perfusion Machine has been introduced at the Wits University Donald Gordon Medical Centre. It is the first transplant centre in Africa to use this technology for liver transplantation. The machine can preserve and resuscitate donor livers outside the body. It works by pumping warm, oxygenated blood and nutrients through the organ. This gives doctors more time…
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Lenacapavir PrEP Rollout Brings Hope Amid Service Cuts
South Africa has launched lenacapavir, a new injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The injection provides six months of protection against HIV infection. It is given twice a year. Health experts say the Lenacapavir PrEP Rollout could be a major step forward for HIV prevention. It offers an alternative to oral PrEP, which requires people to take tablets regularly.…
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Compounded GLP-1 Injections Spark Regulatory Battle
South African pharmaceutical firm iDexis is fighting back against local healthcare regulators over its Compounded GLP-1 Weight-Loss Injections. The company strongly defends its product safety amid serious compliance allegations. The dispute follows a joint statement by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC). The regulators ordered an immediate recall of the company’s…
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Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Crisis Sparks Whistleblower Resignation
A senior doctor who helped expose deep-rooted problems at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH) is leaving the public health sector. Professor Adam Mahomed, the respected head of internal medicine, has reached his breaking point. After years of frustration, stress, and stalled reform, he has opted for early retirement. Professor Mahomed lodged a formal complaint with the Public Protector in…
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Charlotte Maxeke Hospital Repairs: A Delayed Recovery
Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka has proposed decisive remedial action regarding the lengthy delay in Charlotte Maxeke Hospital repairs. This intervention deserves strong public support. Crucially, it targets deep-seated weaknesses in Gauteng’s infrastructure delivery system. A devastating fire damaged the facility in April 2021. This disaster affected critical sections of one of the most vital public healthcare hubs in Gauteng. Years…
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NHLS Debt Crisis Threatens Public Health Laboratory Services
The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) is facing an unprecedented financial emergency. Parliament has demanded immediate accountability from provincial health departments for debts of over R11 billion. This huge financial burden threatens the stability of South Africa’s public medical testing network. Understanding The NHLS Debt Crisis Impact The NHLS operates approximately 233 diagnostic laboratories across South Africa. These facilities provide…
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National Health Act Ruling Challenges NHI Implementation
South Africa’s business and healthcare sectors are absorbing the fallout from a landmark apex court decision. The Constitutional Court has unanimously struck down the Department of Health’s controversial plan to regulate where private healthcare providers can operate. This definitive National Health Act ruling declares the “certificate of need” (CON) provisions to be irrational. The court found the provisions unconstitutional and…
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SA’s Missing Middle Faces Growing Healthcare Crisis
South Africa’s healthcare system has long faced a stark divide. An overburdened public sector stands in sharp contrast to a costly private system. However, industry experts warn that the nation’s most urgent challenge is a widening gap between the two. This issue is often referred to as SA’s Missing Middle. The “missing middle” consists of working South Africans who earn…
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NHI Funding: Court Hears Claims Of Blind NHI Approval
The National Health Insurance (NHI) programme faced renewed legal pressure yesterday. Constitutional Court justices questioned whether the public had enough information to participate meaningfully in the law-making process. At the centre of the dispute is NHI Funding Transparency. Debate continues over whether Parliament should have provided clearer cost and funding details before passing the bill. The NHI Act aims to…
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Digital Health Transformation: A New Era of Care
South Africa’s health system is shifting fast. Clinical demand is rising. Patient expectations are changing. Technology is now good enough to remove distance, time and cost from many first points of care. Digitisation is no longer a plan. It is already reshaping care delivery. The real question is governance. Leaders must decide whether to roll out digital health deliberately, fairly,…
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Clicks Group Half-Year Earnings Reveal Solid Profit Growth
Clicks Group has lifted profitability at the halfway stage of its financial year, even as consumers remain under pressure. The retailer said turnover for the six months ended February rose 7.4% to R24.9bn. Headline earnings increased 6.4% to R1.5bn. Headline earnings per share (HEPS) climbed 8.1% to 653 cents. The company said share buybacks over the past 18 months helped…