Minister of Health Wades into Private Sector Health Care

South Africa faces health system equity challenges. In fact, some 43% of total health care expenditure goes to private health insurance schemes. And these cover only 16% of the population. Health care in South Africa is no longer caring, helpful and skilled. There is a lot of money at stake and it receives priority over health. The Minister of Health has other ideas.

Health care has become a business, and interest and intentions are not on the sick patient, but on their cash. No cash equals no health care. If you don’t have money when you enter a private hospital, you’ll be firmly ushered out, even if if you are at death’s door. Just listen to the news and you’ll see that South Africa’s health services make the headlines daily. Most stories speak of neglect and disinterest.

Minister of Health on Access to Quality Health Care

The ongoing under-performance of the South African health care system is essentially about finances and lack of adequate care.  Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health,  has given a clear and precise  background of government’s plans for the NHI or National Health Insurance Scheme. The government say sit will implement NHI over the next decade or so.  They say it will allow more people to access quality care.

Motsoaledi said it shouldn’t be that people face such tough financial decisions around medical treatment. The treatment for breast cancer is roughly R500 000 and who can afford that?

It isn’t right that people have to sleep on the streets because they sold everything to pay hospital bills. So Motsoaledi has called for a complete overhaul of the health care system in the private- and public sector.

Private Health Care Needs Regulation

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi went on to say that the cost of private health care in South Africa needs regulation. And he is calling for a single health fund.He says it will ensure access to quality and affordable health care for every South African and not just for a select group.

He said that according to Chapter 6 of the White Paper, the entire health care system – private and public – needs shaking up. And the emphasis will be on primary health care.

Motsoaledi added that there was a need to move towards a more efficient health system for all South Africans. Hospital groups consider regulation as a last resort. They opt instead for exploring public-private partnerships. But Motsoaledi said such partnerships, as well as the Lesotho example, was affecting that country’s financial resources.

The Minister also said that pots of money paid to the private health care sector went to brokers and administrators.

The Stock Market or Health Care Service Delivery?

Dr Pillay from the Department of Health also said that 3 of the biggest hospital groups are on the stock exchange. This he said is often in conflict with the ethical responsibility of service delivery in health care. He said that the health of patients is top priority regardless of their ability to pay.

South Africans are Waiting for this so-called ‘Miracle Change’

When all is said and done, the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme will supposedly cover everything – different from the current system which doesn’t carry everything – and the Minister reckons that it’s arrival, when it comes, is going to usher in a huge change in the private and public sector.

 

All info was correct at time of publishing