News
Only R334m of allocated R666m spent on repairs at Charlotte Maxeke
27 May 2026
More than five years since a major fire at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, the repair project is expected to be completed in August, said Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi during a visit to the hospital. - TimesLive (27 May 2026),
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Climate Change May Be Fuelling Antibiotic Resistance
27 May 2026
A new global study has found that climate change is contributing to the rise of antibiotic resistance in Salmonella, one of the world’s leading causes of diarrhoeal disease.
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Netcare patient growth may slow down due to GEMS changes
26 May 2026
GEMS, SA’s largest medical scheme for public servants, is expected to reduce patient volumes at private hospitals, particularly among members of the scheme’s popular Tanzanite One option. This has lowered growth expectations of private hospital group Netcare for the year to September 30, 2026.
Netcare CEO Richard Friedland also warned that the US-Iran war could create additional pressure for the business due to the effect of higher fuel prices. Netcare expects to spend an extra R10m on fuel over the next six months. – Business Day (26 May 2026)
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Regulators recall weight-loss product
26 May 2026
SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and the SA Pharmacy Council (SAPC)issued a joint statement instructing pharmaceutical company iDexis to recall its compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide injections. – Business Day (26 May 2026)
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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)
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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)
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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.
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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)
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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.
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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.”
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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).
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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).
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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, reported
Financial Mail (12 January 2023).
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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)
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Activists demands change in intellectual property laws
10 Nov 2021
Activists from Fix the Patent Laws Campaign (FTPL) urged government to change intellectual property laws to allow more people to access lifesaving medicine for serious ailments such as cancer, HIV, Covid, tuberculosis, mental health and diabetes.
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