News
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]
15 neurologists to serve 86% of population
16 Oct 2025
SA has only 277 neurologists registered with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA), according to the latest PERSAL system report. Only 15 specialists are serving the 86% of the population that relies on state-run facilities while Limpopo has only 1 neurologist. – The Citizen (15 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
SA’s healthcare system at a crossroads
16 Oct 2025
Both public and private healthcare funding in the nation is heading towards a sustainability crisis. This was the consensus among delegates to the recent Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA) conference. – Spotlight (15 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
R2bn HIV funding boost
16 Oct 2025
Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced that the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) pledged a R2bn funding package to SA HIV/AIDS programmes, reported TimesLive (16 October 2025)
The money, set to be disbursed over the next six months, is intended to stabilise programmes following the cut in the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) earlier this year.
[READ MORE]
R360m SAPS health contract to be re-advertised
16 Oct 2025
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola told Parliament’s ad hoc committee last week that he’d cancelled the R360m Medicare24 Tshwane District contract in April, after an internal audit that flagged poor performance, bid fronting and serious procurement irregularities. -MedicalBrief (15 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
Gauteng Head of Health suspended
15 Oct 2025
Gauteng’s Head of Health, Lesiba Arnold Malotana, was suspended with immediate effect, following revelations of the looting of more than R2bn at Tembisa Hospital, reported Business Day (15 October 2025).
[READ MORE]
Pharmacists allowed to prescribe HIV treatment
14 Oct 2025
Specially trained pharmacists are now allowed to initiate and manage antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) for people living with HIV following ruling by the SA Pharmacy Council (SAPC), reported Business Day (13 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
Head of Gauteng Health Suspended
14 Oct 2025
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi has suspended Lesiba Arnold Malotana, head of Gauteng Health with immediate effect amid mounting pressure over ongoing investigations into corruption and irregular tenders of R2bn at Tembisa Hospital, reported IOL on 14 October
[READ MORE]
SAHPRA approves Aspen’s weight loss drug
14 Oct 2025
The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has approved Aspen Pharmacare’s diabetes drug Mounjaro (tirzepatide) to be used as a chronic weight-management treatment. – Business Day (13 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
DONE ‘A new way of paying for healthcare’
13 Oct 2025
Dis-Chem and Capitec announced a new partnership, “set to revolutionise how consumers access and pay for healthcare”, reported Business Day (13 October 2025).
[READ MORE]
Demand for private label beauty products increasing
13 Oct 2025
According to the latest research published by Trade Intelligence shoppers are increasingly preferring private label beauty products. – Business Day (10 October)
[READ MORE]
SAHPRA tackles surge in illicit medicines
13 Oct 2025
The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) launched a five-year-National Action Plan (NAP) to “dismantle the trade of substandard and falsified medical products “that jeopardises patient safety and undermines legitimate medical science”, reported Business Times (12 October 2025)
[READ MORE]
Phasing out of medical tax credits confirmed
13 Oct 2025
The Department of Health, in collaboration with the National Treasury plans to establish thresholds for medical tax credits to redirect the estimated R34bn lost to the fiscus annually towards the NHI fund, reported Business Day (13 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]