President Cyril Ramaphosa will preside over the signing of the second Presidential Health Compact.
Ramaphosa launched the Presidential Health Compact in 2019, a framework for collaboration between crucial sectors in South Africa that has a significant impact on positive health outcomes.
The Presidency said that in addition to overseeing and assessing these elements, it also assigns roles and responsibilities to different stakeholders in order to support the development of health systems and the National Health Insurance implementation process.
The second compact follows the 2023 Presidential Health Summit, which built on the inaugural summit of 2018 and brought together several stakeholders.
Ten pillars of the health compact
These 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.
The stakeholders involved in this framework are integral to supporting the Department of Health in improving the health system.
It initially consisted of nine pillars, with the 10th pillar added during last year’s summit.
These include the development of human resources, improving access to medicine, vaccines and health products, upgrading infrastructure, private sector engagement, quality healthcare, public sector financial management improvements, governance and leadership, community engagements, information systems, and pandemic preparedness.
The signatories to the health compact are:
• President Ramaphosa
• The Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi;
• The Minister of Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande;
• Independent Community Pharmacy Association;
• South African National Aids Council;
• South African Medical Association Trade Union;
• Democratic Nurses of South Africa;
• Congress of South African Trade Unions;
• Campaigning for Cancer-Patient User Groups;
• South African Medical Research Council;
• South African Pharmacy Council;
• National Unitary Professional Association for African Traditional Health Practitioners of South Africa; and
• Traditional Knowledge Systems and Allied Health.
The signing of the second Presidential Health Compact will take place at the Union Buildings Courtyard, West Wing, Pretoria, at 12.30pm. – SAnews.gov.za
