Mismanagement, funding crises, and other issues cannot weaken South Africa’s health system because they are too important to development.
Acting President Paul Mashatile made this claim on Thursday while giving a speech at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Mashatile presided over the signing of the second Presidential Health Compact, a programme that President Cyril Ramaphosa established in 2019.
“We expect all stakeholders to bring solutions and work with the Departments of Health, Science and Innovation to implement them,” said Mashatile.
The health compact is a framework for cooperation between critical sectors and stakeholders to strengthen the health system and monitors and evaluates preparations for implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI).
The stakeholders include government, business, labour, civil society, health professionals, unions, service users, statutory councils, academia, and researchers to develop sustainable and inclusive solutions to challenges in the national health system.
Its pillars range from the development of human resources to improving access to medicine, vaccines and health products, upgrading infrastructure, and private sector engagement.
Priority for the government
It also zooms in on quality healthcare, public sector financial management improvements, governance and leadership, community engagements, and information systems for pandemic preparedness.
Mashatile told delegates that implementation was the foremost priority of the country’s seventh administration.
“Effective policy implementation means we can take the right actions and follow through with the plans, leading to successful outcomes. I have full confidence that implementation is the priority of all of us gathered here today.
“On behalf of President Cyril Ramaphosa, it is my privilege to sign the second Presidential Health Compact today.”
He believes that a healthy nation is more economically productive and prosperous.
“A healthy population enjoys a higher life expectancy, a better quality of life, and overall wellbeing. As a result, providing quality healthcare is of the utmost importance to all of us.”
Universal healthcare coverage
He said Africa is committed to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal of “ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages”.
“This is a bold commitment to achieve universal health coverage. It is a commitment to provide access to affordable medicines and vaccines for all,” he said.
“If our nation’s health is truly to be our nation’s wealth, we must fix our healthcare system.”
He said fixing the healthcare system will effectively protect the population against public health emergencies, such as HIV/Aids, Covid-19, or Mpox.
The acting president also outlined challenges that prevent the government from providing decent and quality healthcare to South Africans.
Lack of funding and collaboration
He also touched on healthcare funding challenges due to budget cuts and a constrained fiscal environment compounded by inefficiencies, mismanagement, and corruption in resource allocation.
However, he said budgeting in the health sector is steadily improving to ensure a more equitable allocation of resources.
“Less money is being lost to litigation. This is thanks to the hard work of the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, which continues to expedite prosecutions and recover stolen funds,” he said.
With greater collaboration, he said the resources and capabilities of both the public and private sectors can be brought together to serve those who need healthcare the most.
However, there has also been some progress, with 30 new hospitals either open or under construction. – SAnews.gov.za
