Angus Mulder - Commercial Director of Anstem Medical
Anstem Medical: Leading Medical Aid, Discovery, Provides Cover for Eligible In-Practice Monovisc and Cingal Treatments Through In-Hospital Benefits
Anstem Medical, a leading South African-owned medical distributor, has announced the national expansion of its advanced intra-articular joint-preservation initiatives. Delivered directly through private practices and select socio-economic clinical partnerships, these targeted, non-surgical treatments offer sustained pain relief, helping manage chronic osteoarthritis (OA) and delaying the need for invasive knee replacement surgery.
Accessing timely joint care in South Africa is an increasing challenge across both healthcare sectors. While public sector patients face multi-year backlogs stretching past three years for state hip and knee arthroplasty, private sector patients also experience significant friction, often waiting anywhere from two to five months just to secure an appointment with busy orthopaedic surgeons.
Against this backdrop, evidence-based, non-surgical interventions that restore mobility and buy critical time are becoming essential across the entire healthcare landscape.
In communities like Triomf, a low-income area where healthcare access is heavily dictated by economics, the lack of timely access to surgery directly ties into severe state backlogs. For these patients, joint preservation therapies offer a crucial bridge to maintaining daily independence when surgical options are out of reach.
“I am currently involved at Triomf Kliniek, and given the current situation where very few joint replacement (arthroplasty) procedures can be performed, these advanced joint therapies have made a significant difference in the daily lives of many patients,” explains Sr Hanneke Vallentgoed.
“It is important to understand that modern viscosupplementation is not simply a pain medication. Rather, it supplements the joint’s natural cushioning, helping to improve joint mobility while also providing a nourishing environment for the remaining cartilage. These localized injections make a meaningful contribution to our patients’ daily function and overall quality of life,” Sr Vallentgoed added.
Addressing the economic reality of healthcare is essential to expanding access. In a significant financial benefit, certain in-office joint preservation treatments may qualify for reimbursement through applicable in-hospital benefits of major medical schemes, subject to the member’s specific option and benefit rules.
Because certified doctors can administer these specialized therapies in the safety of a sterile office or practice room, patients can often avoid depleting their day-to-day Medical Savings Accounts (MSA). Crucially, in-office delivery eliminates heavy secondary healthcare costs, including facility fees, theatre time, general anaesthetists, and hospital recovery stays, making joint preservation both accessible and financially sustainable.
“Surgeons and practitioners are increasingly recognising that if we only see patients when their cartilage is completely worn away, surgery is the only card left to play,” says Angus Mulder, Commercial Director at Anstem Medical. “In-office joint preservation therapy gives clinicians a clinically backed, cost-effective tool to ease pain and protect joints without overloading hospital infrastructure or straining patient finances.”
Anstem Medical’s broader orthopaedic portfolio includes high-quality, targeted intra-articular options tailored to patient needs, ranging from long-acting joint lubrication to therapies that provide localized inflammation relief in a single procedure.
To broaden access across all socio-economic tiers and support medical education, Anstem Medical continues to drive outreach and training initiatives:
- Partnerships & Outreach: Anstem Medical supports donation initiatives through organisations such as Healing Hands and orthopaedic specialists, expanding access to non-surgical care for less-resourced patients. The company is actively establishing further donation-based collaborations with major academic state hospitals facing severe arthroplasty backlogs. Through its CSI arm, InalaRain NPC, Anstem Medical also extends access to essential healthcare and community upliftment initiatives for South Africa’s most vulnerable populations.
- Practitioner Education: Partnering with top local specialists, Anstem conducts ongoing seminars and clinical skills labs to equip surgeons and general practitioners with best practices for in-office joint preservation and early intervention.
Anstem Medical’s supported joint preservation therapies are available nationwide through accredited orthopaedic specialists and certified healthcare practitioners, with targeted public-sector donation programs continuing to bridge the care gap for under-resourced communities.
