In her opinion piece for Mail & Guardian, Sara Grobbelaar highlights significant challenges facing South Africa’s healthcare system, particularly concerning medical technology. Despite substantial investment, many healthcare facilities struggle with faulty or unused medical devices due to issues such as inadequate funding pathways, regulatory hurdles, and a disconnect between innovators and clinical needs. The country’s heavy reliance on imported equipment exacerbates these problems, with a large percentage of devices inoperable at any time. Grobbelaar emphasizes the need for a systemic overhaul, including better alignment of funding with the lifecycle of technology, improved regulatory support, and greater integration of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to ensure innovations meet actual healthcare demands. She argues for a strategic investment in innovation infrastructure to alleviate the ongoing burden on healthcare providers and patients.
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Link to original article source: https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/creating-the-future-of-medical-technology-in-sa/
