South Africa weighs use of Ozempic and Mounjaro for obesity as global support grows

South Africa’s health authorities have begun a formal review into whether GLP1 medications, including the widely known Ozempic and Mounjaro, should be approved for the treatment of obesity. This marks a significant moment in the country’s evolving approach to weight related health challenges and follows international momentum in support of these medicines.

The Department of Health confirmed that the Essential Medicines List Committee is assessing the effectiveness, safety and cost implications of expanding GLP1 use beyond diabetes treatment. This comes as the country faces some of the highest obesity rates on the continent with recent figures showing that more than two thirds of South African women and nearly one third of men fall into the overweight or obese category.

The review was prompted by new guidance issued by the World Health Organization which for the first time recommended GLP1 medicines as part of a long term treatment plan for obesity in adults. The WHO stressed that obesity should be viewed as a chronic disease and not merely a lifestyle issue and that treatment must combine medication, nutritional support and increased physical activity.

While the global endorsement has added momentum to the debate, local officials remain cautious. Deputy director general for primary healthcare Jeanette Hunter noted that the drugs are extremely costly and currently accessible only to a small number of private sector patients. She also highlighted that long term evidence remains limited and many users regain weight once treatment stops.

Medical schemes in South Africa only cover GLP1 medications for diabetes which means that any broader approval for obesity treatment would require a substantial policy shift and new funding models. Health economists have warned that widespread public sector use is likely to be constrained by the price of the drugs and by ongoing global shortages.

Despite these challenges the review has been welcomed by clinicians who believe that South Africa needs a more structured approach to obesity which is rapidly becoming one of the country’s most serious public health concerns. They argue that medication will not replace lifestyle change but can provide essential support for patients struggling with severe or persistent obesity.

If approved the introduction of GLP1 treatments would mark a turning point in national health policy and signal a broader recognition that obesity requires long term medical intervention. For now the country will wait for the committee’s recommendation which is expected to consider not only medical evidence but the financial realities of the public health system.