Medication in South Africa

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

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.