Laying the groundwork for an equitable healthcare future for SA

GEMS Symposium brings together key stakeholders to discuss universal health cover.

Friday, 13 October 2017 - The future of healthcare in South Africa will, to a large extent, depend on the groundwork and consensus being built at present.

The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), a long-time champion of broadening access to healthcare, is bringing together experts from the public and private sectors to delve into some of the weighty issues surrounding the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI) at its annual Symposium, which commenced in Cape Town on Thursday.

"Access to healthcare is a constitutional right in South Africa, which highlights the immense importance of securing a more equitable healthcare system. All South Africans should have access to quality, affordable healthcare regardless of their economic state," says Chairperson of the GEMS Board of Trustees, Ms Nontobeko Ntsinde.

"The current reality is that South Africa's healthcare system's structure remains inequitable, with the State healthcare infrastructure carrying the bulk of the population's needs.

"The private healthcare system holds a disproportionate share of the country's healthcare resources, including facilities, technology, equipment and the skills of medical professionals. As it stands, all these resources are serving only a fraction of the population," she observes.

GEMS was introduced in 2005 with the goal of contributing to social security through helping members of the public service and their families to get the best possible healthcare at the most affordable rate. The Scheme has since grown to provide healthcare funding for 57% of eligible public service employees and their families, covering some 1.8 million lives.

"With the progress that GEMS has made to date in extending quality healthcare to those who previously were without medical scheme cover, we believe that the Scheme's expertise and insights could contribute to the national imperative of moving towards universal health coverage," Ms Ntsinde explains.

"It is our hope that bringing together leading experts to discuss the fundamentals of universal health cover at this year's GEMS Symposium will contribute to meaningful groundwork for a system that will benefit all South Africans and help to advance National Health Insurance."

"The ideal of affordable quality healthcare for all can only be achieved through co-operation and collaboration from all stakeholders, and GEMS is committed to putting its experience and expertise behind this important goal."

The GEMS Symposium, being held under the theme "The first steps towards universal health coverage - affordable, accessible and quality healthcare for all", features panel discussions where highly knowledgeable experts from various backgrounds share their perspectives to strengthen understanding around the NHI.

"Such a significant shift in our country's approach to healthcare requires careful planning. All opportunities and potential challenges should be identified and discussed early on to give South Africa the best possible result when NHI is fully implemented," Ms Ntsinde asserts.

On Thursday, the first day of the Symposium, the Deputy Director General of the Department of Health, Dr Anban Pillay, and Acting Chief Executive and Registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), Dr Sipho Kabane, shared their insights on the NHI White Paper gazetted earlier this year.

"We are confident that the lively discussions and informed debates at the Symposium will enhance and contribute positively to the work on the National Health Insurance going forward," Ms Ntsinde says.

"GEMS wholeheartedly supports the move towards universal health cover and will continue to put its weight behind this important national goal," she concluded.