The National Department of Health (NDOH) has been busy since August 2022 exploring the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI) in South Africa, in preparation for the NHI Bill being approved by end 2023. The focus is on Primary Health Care (PHC). Each province has been asked to decide on a sub-district as a Proof-of-Concept (POC) for the Contracting Unit for PHC (CUP). The proposal from Johannesburg Health District (JHD) for Soweto (Sub-District D) as CUP POC was adopted by Gauteng Department of Health. A Johannesburg Joint Task Team has been working through elements of the NHI Bill and NDOH to develop a project plan. The process has been whittled down to essentially to two elements:

  1. Ensuring public clinics register and use the Health Patient Registry System (HPRS), as the number associated (HPRN)(linked to Department of Home Affairs) will be the beneficiary number for members of the population.
  2. Engaging with private providers.

The Family Medicine Clinical Unit of JHD has developed Sub-District Clinical Governance Committees (including referrals) across all sub-districts in JHD (including Soweto), and is busy developing these in CHC Clusters with Family Physicians in charge at most Community Health Centres (CHCs) (as these are likely to become the level at which CUPs will operate to assist the NHI fund to identify needs, identify public/private providers, manage contracts, monitor disbursements, profile disease, improve access, ensure functional referral, facilitate integration of public/private, resolve user complaints.

At the moment we are very keen to strengthen these structures and the relationship with all private providers to address the priority of improved referrals and setting the tone for improved clinical governance under NHI. In order to take this process forward the Johannesburg Health District will be hosting a meeting with all private GPs and PHC Nurses.

Join us for an engagement with private PHC providers! [Please read OHSC documents below.

  • Time: 9am-4pm [with teas and lunch]
  • Date: Sunday 21st May 2023
  • Venue: 2nd Floor, Nembula House, Dr SK Matseke Memorial Hospital, Diepkloof

Pls register here. Only forty can attend. Others will be provided an MS Teams link. Please join WA group for Private Providers in Soweto:  See presentation NHI 2023-05-21 Mtg Soweto Progress

Useful documents in preparation

Private Provider Contracting Cross-Learning Session Key Messages: Countries: Kenya and Ethiopia  | Ghana and Ethiopia