Healthcare in South Africa

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Healthcare in South Africa is very much divided along socio-economic lines. A massive gap in quality exists between the private and public sector, and in practice, these systems cater to different populations. The public healthcare system mainly serves a lower-income bracket while those who can afford it use the private healthcare system.

It's strongly recommended that expats take out health insurance and opt for treatment in private facilities, which generally provide world-class levels of care.

Public healthcare in South Africa

Much of the South African population uses the public healthcare system, which is heavily affected by a lack of resources and funding. The system is not yet universal although fees are charged according to a patient's income and number of dependants.

Public hospitals, though usually manned by highly qualified professionals, are often badly maintained. Expats will find minimal creature comforts, and will likely come across long queues, dingy exam rooms and overworked staff members.

Private healthcare in South Africa

In direct contrast to the public health sector, South Africa's private health sector is excellent. Most cities and towns have a selection of clinics, hospitals and general practitioners, although in rural areas expats might have to travel to the nearest town to see a doctor.

The standard of treatment in South African private hospitals is by far the most highly regarded on the continent, and in the opinion of many expats, on par with that of Europe. The medical tourism industry has shown steady growth and many foreigners travel to South Africa for plastic surgery and dental work.

That said, private healthcare in South Africa comes at a price, especially for those earning a local salary. Although it's possible to pay per treatment, medical costs can quickly add up.

Expats should take out private health insurance to protect against the hefty bills that accompany emergency situations, repeat consultations and specialist treatment.

Health insurance in South Africa

An assortment of local medical aid providers and international health insurance companies are available to expats.

Local providers offer various schemes and charge monthly premiums on a progressive scale. Most local health insurance providers in South Africa require that claims be pre-authorised; a stipulation which makes it necessary for people to keep their medical aid card in their wallet.

Most providers offer a basic hospital plan which includes hospital cover and ambulance transport, but insurance holders may be limited to a list of specific private hospitals. These are essentially emergency plans which don't cover day-to-day medical expenses such as doctor consultations and treatment, dental treatments, prescription medications and specialist consultations.

Expats interested in getting coverage for day-to-day expenses should compare the different packages offered by insurance providers such as Discovery, Momentum, Bonitas, Medshield and Fedhealth.

Alternatively, expats may opt to use international insurance providers. Emergency evacuation insurance is unnecessary, as private South African facilities are adequate.

Pharmacies and medicines in South Africa

Pharmacies are readily available in urban centres and are generally well stocked, but expats travelling to outlying rural areas for extended periods should pack basic medications. Those living in rural areas may need to travel to larger towns to fill prescriptions.

Health hazards in South Africa

Contrary to popular belief, malaria is not a wide-scale problem in South Africa. But there is a narrow high-risk area that stretches across the extreme northeast of the country along the borders with Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe where taking anti-malarial medication would be wise in peak season. It should be noted that this does include parts of the Kruger National Park.

The tap water in South Africa's cities and towns is generally safe to drink and often of good quality but caution should be exercised in rural areas.

Prevalence rates remain high for HIV/AIDS. However, expats who take appropriate precautions against the disease, such as always using protection, need not be concerned.

Emergency services in South Africa

Public ambulance services in South Africa are run provincially and standards and response times vary. The close co-operation of fire and ambulance services is the norm, although they are technically separate entities. Emergency paramedics are employed by the government and often work with volunteers, especially in outlying areas.

The South African Red Cross and St John's Ambulance are run by volunteers and supplement the national system. There are also two private, profit-making national ambulance services, ER24 and Netcare 911, which are contacted via their own emergency numbers. Health insurance providers will have a preferred ambulance service and provide their customers with the corresponding contact numbers.

Ambulance contact details

Public ambulance services: 10177
Netcare 911: 082 911
ER24: 084 124