As South Africans continue to navigate a healthcare system under immense pressure, a pressing concern is emerging: has the public health service become little more than a glorified pharmacy?
Many patients stress that they spend hours in long queues, only to receive a plastic bag filled with medication, and little in the way of meaningful consultation. With limited time allocated per patient, overburdened healthcare staff, and a growing number of systemic inefficiencies, critical aspects of patient care are increasingly being sidelined.
Medical expert Dr Angelique Coetzee said this troubling trend is rooted in broader structural challenges within the sector.
“We are running numbers. There are not enough doctors or medical practitioners able to see patients efficiently,” she explained. “In many cases, there simply isn’t enough time to properly consult with patients, and doctors are left handing out medication instead of conducting full examinations.”
The impact of these constraints, Dr Coetzee adds, is that deeper health issues often go undetected, raising concerns about the overall quality and effectiveness of public healthcare.
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