News
Popularity of weight loss medication on the increase
10 Apr 2026
New data reveal that GLP-1 weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro are becoming more popular in the local market, reported TimesLive (10 April 2026).
According to the data 13% of South Africans are either already using or actively considering these medications, while 63% of the population has never heard of these drugs at all.
[READ MORE]
Decriminalise assisted death for terminally ill, requests Dignity SA
10 Apr 2026
Business Day reported on 10 April that the non-profit organisation DignitySA requested the High Court to decriminalise assisting terminally ill people in dying. According to DignitySA existing bans are unconstitutional as they are in conflict with the SA Constitution which guarantees the rights to human dignity and to the bodily integrity of the person.
The orga
[READ MORE]
Nurse moonlighting crisis
08 Apr 2026
The SA healthcare sector is facing a deepening internal challenge as public-sector nurses increasingly engage in unauthorised "moonlighting.", reported Spotlight (8 April 2026).
[READ MORE]
Hike in medicine prices may result in legal action
08 Apr 2026
SA’s pharmaceutical sector is considering legal action demanding full disclosure from the National Department of Health following the recent hike of 1.47% in medicine prices for the private section. – Business Day (8 April 2026)
[READ MORE]
New Intercare CEO to scale the business
07 Apr 2026
Intercare’s new CEO, Hendri Hanekom, announced plans to scale the business while improving patient experience and clinical outcomes. Hanekom, rose from receptionist to senior leadership roles over nearly two decades.
[READ MORE]
Dis-Chem transforms retail into healthcare
07 Apr 2026
Since becoming CEO in mid-2023, Rui Morais has led a cultural reset at Dis-Chem, shifting the founder-led retailer toward an integrated, affordable healthcare platform.
[READ MORE]
GEMS battles record claims
07 Apr 2026
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has recently paid out in a single year what some of SA’s largest private insurers distributed over a quarter of a century, reported The Citizen (7 April 2026).
[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]