Can I get my medication in South Africa?

Expert Info

on 16 Jan 2018

Hi my husband and I are on regular medication. How would we get this whilst out there on a volunteer visa for 3yrs.

Anonymous (not verified) on 17 Jan 2018 - 03:01

We did some extended travel recently. You don’t say where you are leaving from, but it is possible to get one year prescriptions in the USA assuming you pay cash rather than through your insurance. Then as far as getting meds in SA, you are supposed to have a prescription but some pharmacy’s will bend the rules as long as it is simple blood pressure or statin etc. we were able to purchase a years supply without prescription.

Meagan on 17 Jan 2018 - 07:04

Hi JJTcouple,

Most people use the private sector here, so the standard process would be to see a GP and get a prescription. Some drugs may be harder to get a prescription for than others, so it's always a good idea to take a note or prescription from a doctor back home so the SA doctor can see you have a history with the medication. Six-month repeat scripts are common, meaning you'd just have to go to the doctor once and then can pick up your refill at the pharmacy each month. A GP visit will cost from around 300 to 400 ZAR. Prices for medication vary widely, but some generics are well-priced.

Hope that helps!

Do you have your visas sorted already or are you still going through the process of applying?

Meagan

JJTcouple on 17 Jan 2018 - 20:21

We are about to start the volunteering visa next month. We are from the UK. Is there anything we should be worried about doing the visas

Meagan on 25 Jan 2018 - 06:40

It can take some time for visas to get processed by Home Affairs in South Africa, so it's best to apply well in advance. The following link has some useful info on what you'll need to apply: http://www.home-affairs.gov.za/index.php/immigration-services/apply-for-a-south-african-visa
There's also some useful info here: http://www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica/visitor-visa-section-2.html

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