Healthcare for all a step closer

The Department of Health is stepping up its investment in public health, to ensure all South Africans can access quality care. During his budget vote, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said his department has built 34 new and replacement clinics in the 10 National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot districts, and was working on a further 48.“Outside the 10 pilot districts, we have completed 96 clinics and are busy with 132.”

Once complete, 310 new and replacement clinics will be available to the public.

The NHI pilot sites are in OR Tambo (Eastern Cape),

Gert Sibande (Mpumalanga), Vhembe (Limpopo), Pixley ka Seme (Northern Cape), Eden (Western Cape), Dr K Kaunda (North West), Thabo Mofutsanyane (Free State) and Tshwane (Gauteng).

Since 2012, 154 clinics have been refurbished and 192 are going through the process in the pilot districts. Outside the pilot districts, 135 clinics that have been refurbished and 220 are in the process.

Minister Motsoaledi said good progress was being made on the new digital NHI patient information system.

“Working with the CSIR and the departments of Science and Technology and Home Affairs, I am happy to announce that our preparatory period has gone well. We now have a system being implemented that will be ready for NHI.”

Over six million South Africans have registered on the system in preparation for NHI, with between 80 000 and 100 000 people registering every day.

The Unique Patient Identifier is linked to ID numbers. Once registered, a person keeps their healthcare number for life.

Minister Motsoaledi said the first step in implementing the NHI is to pick up those outside the medical aid system and provide services to them through the NHI Fund.