Medication in South Africa

Last activity 09 March 2020 by bkramachandra

769 Views

1 replies

Post new topic

LoïcViP04 March 2020 09:06:48

1777

Good morning everyone,

Whether it's a simple cold or a chronic illness, medication and medicine use vary from country to country and culture to culture.

When you are used to certain brands or types of drugs, being in a country like South Africa with different rules can affect your daily well-being.

Some drugs also differ in name, price, dosage, active molecule, so we would like to hear your opinion on these issues:

Have you ever had difficulties finding familiar or useful medicines for your health in your host country?

Have you ever been faced with a shortage of medicines in South Africa?

Would you have said that in South Africa drugs are more or less expensive than in your home country? Do you find them more or less effective or of similar quality?

What is the place of alternative medicines in your host country? Have you ever used them?

Thank you in advance for your feedback,

Loïc

bkramachandraNew member09 March 2020 16:33:47

Hi there,

I have been living in South Africa for the past five years since November 2014, so when I say something it is completely based on my experience during these past five years.

Medicines are more or less easily available, most of the pharmacies do look for a valid prescription, I hope you understand where I am going with this. You can find the equivalents easily , branded as well as generic medicines. Off course the branded ones being way costlier compared to generic drugs.

Either branded or generic drugs are way costlier than India, I would say 5-7 times costlier than India, with some of the imported ones on par with the price at which they are available in India.

In general health care is way costlier than India and almost on par with costs in the United States so I was told.

Trust this helps.

Articles to help you in your expat project in South Africa

Health care in South Africa
If you are moving to South Africa, you will probably have queries on its health care system. You should know, ...
Healthcare in South Africa
When relocating to South Africa, healthcare will be one of your main concerns. Since its advent to democracy, ...
Health insurance in South Africa
No matter where or when you intend to move, you can't escape the need to know more about the local health ...
Accidents and emergencies in South Africa
Despite the good condition of the main and secondary roads, the number of road accidents is very high in South ...
Pregnancy and childbirth in South Africa
Bringing a child into the world is, without a doubt, one of the most important and exciting decisions a couple can ...
The South African lifestyle
Diversity is one of the words that could best describe South Africa: diversity of landscapes, languages and ...
Buying property in Cape Town
Cape Town is one of the most popular cities for overseas property buyers and is one of the top 5 tourist ...
Leisure in South Africa
When moving to South Africa, whether to work, study or for other reasons, the “Rainbow Nation” offers ...