Assignment Report: Overview of Health Sector Reforms in South Africa
Abstract
This paper provides an overview of key reforms and organisational development initiatives currently underway within the South African public health sector at the national level.
South Africa has made significant progress establishing certain aspects. For example: progressive public health legislation and policies, a unified national health system, increased infrastructure at primary care level, removed user fees for maternal and child health services, a system of social support grants, steady increase of immunisation coverage, and supporting the world's largest HIV/AIDS treatment programme.
The paper discusses the appropriateness, potential synergies and sequencing of these reforms, as well as potential gaps and risks. Overall, the health reforms analysed are appropriate to most of the identified priorities. There are potential risks or gaps, particularly in relation to the sequencing of interventions. Some Key issues are identified.
The report highlights the need for strengthening engagement with stakeholders, commentators and civil society on the NHI reform process, and for better articulation of the distinction and linkages between the 'Primary Health Care Re-engineering' initiative and the NHI initiative.
Citation
Schaay, N.; Sanders, D.; Kruger, V. Assignment Report: Overview of Health Sector Reforms in South Africa. HDRC, UK (2011) 48 pp.
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