News

News

Africa needs $18m for urgent Ebola trials

01 Jul 2026
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has called for urgent international funding of at least $18m to support clinical trials of experimental Ebola treatments in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). – Reuters (30 June 2026)
[READ MORE]

CMS Rejects GEMS plan to cut 2026 contribution increase

01 Jul 2026
The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) has rejected a proposal by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) to lower its average 2026 contribution increase to 7.5%, warning that the move could undermine the scheme’s financial stability. – Business Day (1 July 2026)
[READ MORE]

Unregulated cosmetic treatments raise safety concerns

30 Jun 2026
The National Department of Health has expressed concern about the growing number of cosmetic and aesthetic procedures being performed outside SA’s regulated healthcare sector, warning that unsafe treatments could cause life-threatening complications. – TimesLive (30 June 2026)
[READ MORE]

NHI risks fuelling anti-immigrant sentiment

30 Jun 2026
The implementation of NHI faces growing criticism over concerns that excluding undocumented migrants and many asylum seekers from comprehensive healthcare could undermine public health goals. - Streamline (29 June 2026)
[READ MORE]

Denying migrants healthcare is illegal – SAMA

30 Jun 2026
Following the anti-migration protests on 30 June the SA Medical Association (SAMA) warned that denying migrants healthcare is illegal as SA law guarantees free public healthcare for pregnant women and children under five, regardless of nationality or immigration status.
[READ MORE]

Removal of medical tax credits on the cards

17 Oct 2025
“With significant legal and logistical uncertainty still surrounding the NHI's implementation, making precipitous changes to the tax system could have unforeseen and damaging consequences for millions of South Africans.” - Business Day(17 October 2025)
[READ MORE]

Pharma faces billions in costs due to new tariffs

29 Jul 2025
“The pharmaceutical industry is bracing for a significant financial blow, with analysts forecasting costs of between $13bn and $19bn following the revelation that a new transatlantic trade deal will subject branded medicines to a hefty 15% tariff.” – Reuters (28 July 2025)
[READ MORE]

Life Healthcare backs collaboration to tackle healthcare crisis

27 Nov 2024
Life Healthcare CEO Peter Wharton-Hood has backed a call for greater collaboration between the government and private healthcare providers to address South Africa’s pressing healthcare challenges. This follows a proposal by Netcare CEO Richard Friedland, who suggested adding healthcare as the fourth pillar in an existing government-business partnership focused on revitalising the economy.
[READ MORE]

Discovery Life claims back to pre-Covid levels

19 Apr 2024
“Discovery Life distributed R10.3bn to its clients, a decrease from the R11bn paid the previous year,” reported Business Day (19April 2024)
[READ MORE]

Hundreds of websites found selling fake weight-loss drugs

16 Apr 2024
Reuters reported on 15 April that the cybersecurity company BrandShield has shut down over 250 websites selling counterfeit versions of popular drugs used for weight loss and diabetes treatment within the GLP-1 class.
[READ MORE]

RAF bid to appeal judgment on claim requirements

06 Dec 2023
On 5 December 2023 the Pretoria High Court rejected the Road Accident Fund’s (RAF) request to reconsider a previous verdict from November, reported Business Day. “The ruling mandated eliminating the stringent new requirements for filing claims outlined in a 2021 board notice.”
[READ MORE]

Covid-19 vaccines: ‘Health Department squandered the opportunity’

07 Sep 2023
“Health activists are right to draw attention to this grossly unfair situation. (Covid-19 vaccine deals) But the far bigger scandal is that the Health Department squandered the opportunity after spending an estimated R14-bn on Covid-19 jabs and belatedly filling its warehouses with enough doses to vaccinate the nation” – Business Day (7 September 2023).
[READ MORE]

EDITORIAL: Health Minister must halt care crisis

20 Jan 2023

NHI, the government’s plan for universal health coverage, rests heavily on nurse-led care. Yet where these nurses will come from is a mystery. – Editorial (Business Day 20 January 2023).
[READ MORE]

Study raises concerns about quality of hospital meals

12 Jan 2023

According to a study of meals served at Cape Town hospitals the food served to hospital patients are way below the health department “ration scale” and patients’ energy requirements, reportedFinancial Mail (12 January 2023).
[READ MORE]

Health Minister’s comment provides ‘some comfort to medical scheme industry’

15 Jun 2022

 

Health Minister Joe Phaahla’s comment that NHI will be implemented step-by-step - gradually phasing out the role of medical schemes in the private sector - should provide some comfort to these private healthcare services, according to Business Day (15 June 2022)


[READ MORE]
Page 1 of 2 Next > >>