Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the public health sector will be boosted, in anticipation of the NHI roll-out, with new clinics and half a dozen new academic hospitals. Three of those will replace long-standing temporary structures, he said, while six will be constructed in areas previously without academic hospitals.
The country currently has 10 academic hospitals, and speaking on the sidelines of a G20 health event this week, he told SABC News more details would be revealed next month when he reads his Budget speech.
Motsoaledi said strengthening the public healthcare system was crucial for the success and affordability of the NHI.
“If it is weak under NHI, it will make it more expensive because people will move to expensive private sector hospitals. Our own hospitals, especially academic hospitals, must be able to do the same job,” he said.
TimesLIVE reports that the Health Department’s strategic plan for 2020/21-2024/25 identifies the development of infrastructure as a key goal, and the improvement of service delivery.
The plan stipulated collaboration with National Treasury to fast-track infrastructure delivery.
Motsoaledi also spoke about immediate interventions to improve hospitals countrywide, and said that major procurement of essential items was already under way.
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