Depression costs at GEMS rose 198% since 2019, and experts say mental healthcare must be easier to access and integrated into primary care.
Rising demand for mental healthcare is driving sharp cost increases, with the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) paying R2.75bn for depression treatment in 2025. That is a 198% increase on the R923.9m it paid in 2019. Metropolitan Health highlighted the figures around World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October.