NPC recommends change to pharma price issue

THE Covid-19 pandemic has brought South Africa's healthcare inequality into sharp relief, with the National Planning Commission (NPC) saying there needs to be a bigger push to achieve the broader goal of affordable healthcare in the country.

The NPC had previously commissioned a report into pharmaceutical costs in the country.

The report, which was released last year, showed large price differences between medicine costs in the private and public sector.

As of 2019, pharmaceutical expenditure was estimated at R55 billion.

A total of 30% of that expenditure was in the public sector. The report also deals with international benchmarking on medicine prices, with some medication, such as cardiac drugs, priced high compared to other countries. It also found there were issues with the dispensing fee system which left room for overpricing of cheaper drugs – as a result this blocked access for the poor.

Another glaring issue was the size of out-of-pocket expenditure – which made up 19% for the private sector in 2019.

The commission believes out of pocket expenses often lead to households spending a larger share of their income on pharmaceutical medicines.

“How much do you want, I can send my brother to give you the money. I want to apologise, but you are ignoring me,” the message reads.

“I love (the victim) and she loves me too. You doing this because you don’t like me,” another text reads.

Police spokesperson, Mfundo Nyengane said the police were investigating and that an arrest had yet to be made.

Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said: “It is a sad state of affairs where grown men take advantage of children and often think they can get away with such actions.”

Anyone with information on the incident can, anonymously, contact Crime Stop at 08600 10111 or SMS Crime Line at 32211.