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 Hyaluronic Acid (HA) therapies, Monovisc and Cingal. Delivered directly through private practices and select socio-economic clinical partnerships, this targeted, non-surgical treatment offers up to six months of clinically proven 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 hyaluronic acid injections have made a significant difference in the daily lives of many patients,” explains Sr Hanneke Vallentgoed.
“It is important to understand that hyaluronic acid is not simply a pain medication. Rather, it supplements the joint’s natural cushioning by filling the irregularities in the damaged cartilage, helping to improve joint mobility while also providing a nourishing environment for the remaining cartilage. These 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 for eligible Discovery Health members, HA treatment may qualify for reimbursement through applicable in-hospital benefits, subject to the member’s medical scheme option and benefit rules.
Because certified doctors can administer HA injections in the safety of a sterile office or practice room, patients 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 stay, 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 HA 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 portfolio includes two high-molecular-weight HA options tailored to patient needs:
- Monovisc: A single-injection, high-density viscosupplement that provides long-acting joint lubrication and cushioning to improve mobility over several months without added medication.
- Cingal: A dual-action formulation combining high-molecular-weight HA with a fast-acting corticosteroid. The steroid delivers rapid short-term inflammation relief, while the HA provides sustained, long-term cushioning 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 HA access to 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 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.
