Health & Emergencies
South Africa offers good quality private medical care in major cities. Public system is limited. Travel insurance is recommended.
The public system is precarious. Tourists should avoid public care.
Private hospitals in Johannesburg and Cape Town offer good-quality care.
| Service | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| General practice visit | 400-1,000 ZAR |
| Emergency room | 2,000-6,000 ZAR |
| Hospitalization (per day) | 5,000-20,000 ZAR |
| Emergency surgery | 20,000-80,000 ZAR |
| Ambulance | 1,500-3,000 ZAR |
| Raio-X | 300-800 ZAR |
| Exames de sangue | 200-600 ZAR |
* Approximate costs for private care. May vary by region and provider type.
Travel insurance is strongly recommended for South Africa. Private hospitals typically require upfront payment or proof of insurance. Asteroid clients have immediate coverage and 24/7 support in their language.
The main emergency number in South Africa is 10177. Asteroid clients can also reach our 24/7 WhatsApp line for immediate multilingual assistance.
The public system is precarious. Tourists should avoid public care.
Costs vary by service type. A private clinic visit starts around 400-1,000 ZAR, while hospitalization can be substantially higher. Travel insurance covers these costs directly without upfront payment.
Pharmacies are common in cities with varied medication at moderate prices.
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