President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed the government's commitment to the National Health Insurance (NHI) and announced plans to improve healthcare access and infrastructure during his 2025 State of the Nation address. He outlined key initiatives to strengthen the public health sector and highlighted progress made in HIV treatment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation on Thursday, reaffirming the government's commitment to rolling out the National Health Insurance (NHI) and promising improvements to healthcare access and infrastructure.
He outlined several key initiatives aimed at strengthening the public health sector, including the development of a single electronic health record system, the establishment of ministerial advisory committees on health technologies and benefits, and an accreditation framework for healthcare service providers. Ramaphosa emphasized the importance of the NHI in providing equitable access to quality healthcare for all South Africans. He highlighted the program's focus on essential services, such as maternal and newborn care, treatment for people living with HIV, tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. He stated that the NHI would save lives by ensuring a comprehensive package of healthcare services for the nation.The president also underscored the government's commitment to improving the quality of care in public health facilities. He announced several ongoing infrastructure projects, including the construction and refurbishment of hospitals and clinics across the country. Ramaphosa stressed the need to address patient experience concerns, particularly waiting times, cleanliness, and staff conduct. He highlighted the progress made in HIV treatment, noting that by the end of March 2024, 96% of people living with HIV were aware of their status, 79% were on antiretroviral treatment, and 94% of those on treatment had viral suppression. Ramaphosa announced a new campaign to identify an additional 1.1 million people living with HIV who are not currently on treatment. He also expressed concern about the US's decision to suspend funding for HIV and tuberculosis programs in African countries, emphasizing the importance of securing alternative funding sources to ensure the continuity of essential services. Despite highlighting these initiatives, Ramaphosa made no mention of the reported deal between the ANC and the DA to ensure the continued existence of private medical schemes once the NHI is implemented
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA HEALTHCARE ACCESS INFRASTRUCTURE HIV TREATMENT PUBLIC HEALTH ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS ADVISORY COMMITTEES
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