DISCOVERY DATA
Data show sharp rise of cancers and chronic illnesses in SA
Chronic diseases and cancers are becoming more prevalent in SA, data from insurer Discovery Health suggest. In 2017, the number of Discovery Health Medical Scheme members with at least one chronic condition rose 5.6% to 642,410, the insurer said in a report published on Thursday. "SA, like many countries in the world, continues to suffer from an increasing prevalence of noncommunicable diseases, also known as diseases of lifestyle," the group said. The number of Discovery Health Medical Scheme members with at least one chronic condition — such as diabetes or high blood pressure — more than doubled between 2008 and 2017. Over the same period, the number of members rose 41.8% to 2.8-million. Discovery Health CEO Jonathan Broomberg said claims data indicated that a growing number of members had more than one chronic disease, "and some are experiencing up to five chronic diseases". Hypothyroidism saw the biggest increase in enrolled members in 2017, increasing 11% on the year to 55,331 ...
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