South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next?
The National Assembly approval of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill represents an important milestone, but there are many uncertainties concerning its implementation and timeline. The challenges faced by the South African healthcare system are huge, and we cannot afford to wait for NHI t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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South African Medical Association
2024-03-01
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| Series: | South African Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1571 |
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| author | G Solanki T Wilkinson N G Myburgh J E Cornell V Brijlal |
| author_facet | G Solanki T Wilkinson N G Myburgh J E Cornell V Brijlal |
| author_sort | G Solanki |
| collection | DOAJ |
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The National Assembly approval of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill represents an important milestone, but there are many uncertainties concerning its implementation and timeline. The challenges faced by the South African healthcare system are huge, and we cannot afford to wait for NHI to address them all. It is critical that the process of strengthening the health system to advance universal healthcare (UHC) begins now, and there are several viable initiatives that can be implemented without delay. This article examines potential scenarios after the Bill is passed and ways in which UHC could be advanced. It begins with an overview of the trajectory of health system reform since 1994, then examines the scenarios that may emerge once the Bill is passed by Parliament and makes a case for finding ways in which UHC could be advanced within the country, regardless of any legal or financial barriers that may delay or limit NHI implementation.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6a7ba65463e242bea31d560bc15a1ddd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0256-9574 2078-5135 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | South African Medical Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-6a7ba65463e242bea31d560bc15a1ddd2025-02-10T12:26:22ZengSouth African Medical AssociationSouth African Medical Journal0256-95742078-51352024-03-01114310.7196/SAMJ.2024.v114i3.1571South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next?G Solanki0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8512-3119T Wilkinson1N G Myburgh2J E Cornell3V Brijlal4Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa; Health Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; NMG Consultants and Actuaries, Cape Town, South AfricaHealth Economics Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South AfricaFaculty of Dentistry and World Heath Organization Collaborating Centre for Oral Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South AfricaNelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town, South AfricaClinton Health Access Initiative, Pretoria, South Africa The National Assembly approval of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill represents an important milestone, but there are many uncertainties concerning its implementation and timeline. The challenges faced by the South African healthcare system are huge, and we cannot afford to wait for NHI to address them all. It is critical that the process of strengthening the health system to advance universal healthcare (UHC) begins now, and there are several viable initiatives that can be implemented without delay. This article examines potential scenarios after the Bill is passed and ways in which UHC could be advanced. It begins with an overview of the trajectory of health system reform since 1994, then examines the scenarios that may emerge once the Bill is passed by Parliament and makes a case for finding ways in which UHC could be advanced within the country, regardless of any legal or financial barriers that may delay or limit NHI implementation. https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1571Universal health coverageHealth financing reformNational Health InsuranceSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | G Solanki T Wilkinson N G Myburgh J E Cornell V Brijlal South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? South African Medical Journal Universal health coverage Health financing reform National Health Insurance South Africa |
| title | South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? |
| title_full | South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? |
| title_fullStr | South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? |
| title_full_unstemmed | South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? |
| title_short | South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare – where to next? |
| title_sort | south african healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare where to next |
| topic | Universal health coverage Health financing reform National Health Insurance South Africa |
| url | https://samajournals.co.za/index.php/samj/article/view/1571 |
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