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Expat Exchange - Health Care in Johannesburg 2024
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Health Care in Johannesburg

By Betsy Burlingame

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Summary: Learn about the health system in Johannesburg: how it can and cannot be used by expats, nomads, retirees and others moving to and living in Johannesburg.

Johannesburg has a public and private healthcare system. The public healthcare system is called the National Health Insurance (NHI) and is used by South African citizens and permanent residents. It is not available to foreigners. People generally recommend using private hospitals in Johannesburg for serious medical emergencies and major surgery. Public hospitals in Johannesburg are often overcrowded and understaffed, and the quality of care can vary. Foreigners (expats and digital nomads) are not allowed to use the public healthcare system in South Africa, so they typically use private hospitals. Private hospitals in Johannesburg are well-equipped and offer a higher quality of care than public hospitals. People recommend using private hospitals for serious medical emergencies and major surgery.

Hospitals and Clinics for Expats in Johannesburg

Recommended clinics and hospitals in Johannesburg for expats include:

  • Netcare Milpark Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Parktown
  • Netcare Sunninghill Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Sunninghill
  • Netcare Linksfield Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Linksfield
  • Netcare Garden City Clinic (private) - located in the suburb of Kramerville
  • Netcare Olivedale Clinic (private) - located in the suburb of Olivedale
  • Netcare Waterfall City Clinic (private) - located in the suburb of Midrand
  • Netcare Unitas Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Centurion
  • Netcare Pretoria East Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Faerie Glen
  • Netcare Jakaranda Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Pretoria East
  • Netcare Montana Hospital (private) - located in the suburb of Montana

Emergency Services in Johannesburg

Johannesburg has a number of ambulance services. To call for an ambulance, dial 10177 from any phone. Ambulances usually arrive quickly, but there can be delays due to traffic or other factors.

Health Insurance Companies in Johannesburg

The most popular private health insurers in Johannesburg are Discovery Health, Momentum Health, and Bonitas Medical Fund. Expats and digital nomads typically use these companies or specialized expat health insurance providers.

About the Author

Betsy Burlingame Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.

Some of Betsy's articles include 12 Best Places to Live in Portugal, 7 Best Places to Live in Panama and 12 Things to Know Before Moving to the Dominican Republic. Betsy loves to travel and spend time with her family. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn.


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