NHI will put GPs ‘back at the centre’ – Motsoaledi

Abstract

Under universal health coverage South Africa’s general practitioners will reclaim their rightful place at the heart of the primary healthcare delivery system and slowly but surely increase their share of a hugely enlarged national ‘medical aid’ cake.
That was the core message to thousands of private sector doctors from National Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, during an 8-month charm offensive across the 11 National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot districts which he completed this October . Speaking exclusively to Izindaba a fortnight after his marathon tour ended, an upbeat Motsoaledi believes his well-aimed arrows found their target. ‘I think I proved to them that the present system is making them poorer than an NHI ever could. I mean GPs getting R6 billion out of the R84.7 billion medical aid basket (2010 figures – 2011 was worse) with private hospitals’ specialists, pharmacies and even non-healthcare workers (administrators and brokers) getting more, is unfair and unsustainable,’ he said.