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IOL News
a day ago
- Health
- IOL News
Private and public health sectors join forces in think tank aimed at universal healthcare strategy
A universal health think tank has been launched in the Western Cape. Image: Ron The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has launched a groundbreaking healthcare think tank, uniting public and private sector professionals to develop a comprehensive universal healthcare strategy. This initiative aims to improve patient care, enhance resource efficiency, and foster collaboration across healthcare systems in the province. In March 2025, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness launched an innovative healthcare think tank—a first-of-its-kind initiative that brings together public and private healthcare professionals, including private hospitals, laboratories, pharmacy groups, healthcare funders, academic institutions, and the provincial Department of Health and Wellness. Since its inception, this collaborative effort has been working to maximise resources and co-create a 'Western Cape Universal Healthcare Strategy — one built on partnership and innovation' . Western Cape MEC of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, emphasised the importance of collaboration in delivering a patient-centred healthcare system. She stated, "Healthcare is a team effort. To meet the immediate and long-term needs of our residents, we need the public and private sectors, alongside academic experts, to work together to find smarter, more efficient ways to deliver quality care. Our vision is to harness the best of both sectors to make this a reality. While this think tank is still in its early days, I am confident that through collaboration, we can ease pressure on the system, expand access to care, and ensure that every Rand is spent wisely." The think tank's work is centred on co-creating a Universal Healthcare Strategy—one that is flexible, locally driven, rooted in collaboration, and focused on delivering the highest standard of care to residents. Between May and November 2025, the group will meet monthly to set joint goals, identify priority areas where collaboration can have the greatest impact, assess capacity across both systems, and explore sustainable funding mechanisms to ensure long-term success. The think tank is also developing strategies for implementing initial joint projects to improve healthcare delivery on the ground. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ One potential solution under consideration is enabling public-sector patients to access specialised medical equipment and diagnostic imaging at private facilities where these are not available in the public health system. Many private hospitals have advanced technology, such as CT scanners and MRI machines, which public-sector patients, especially those in rural areas, often struggle to access without travelling long distances. By working together, the public and private sectors could reduce unnecessary travel, improve patient care, and enhance the efficiency of healthcare delivery. "Currently, it is more cost-effective to transport patients to public facilities with the necessary machines than to install and maintain such equipment at over 40 public hospitals across the province,' Wenger said. 'However, if patients could access scans at nearby private facilities instead of enduring long journeys, not only would the patient experience be greatly improved and continuity of care safeguarded, but the department would also be able to ease the burden on stretched patient transportation. This initiative fosters a more integrated healthcare network, encouraging resource-sharing and capacity-building between sectors—all with the goal of improving health outcomes." She said this think tank is just the beginning, and an important step forward. Wenger said by working together, real and meaningful progress can be made. 'I want to thank our private-sector and academic partners for joining us on this journey, and I look forward to the solutions that we create together to improve healthcare in this province," she added. IOL
IOL News
02-06-2025
- Health
- IOL News
WC the only province to raise objections to NHI Fund draft regulations
THE ANC in the province says the Western Cape Government's rejection of the draft National Health Insurance (NHI) regulations reflects a political choice to defend privilege rather than fix inequality. The province is the only in the country to have raised objections to the draft governance regulations relating to the implementation of the NHI Fund. Health MEC, Mireille Wenger said the Western Cape Cabinet had approved comments from the provincial department of Health and Wellness expressing 'strong objections to the draft governance regulations'. The NHI is a centralised, national insurance fund designed to provide universal health coverage. It aims to ensure all South Africans have access to quality and affordable healthcare services, regardless of their socio-economic status. The draft regulations seek to provide for the establishment of structures and processes for the governance of the fund. It represents the first formal step towards establishing the NHI Fund, to centralise all healthcare funding under the national government, said Wenger. 'While the Western Cape Government supports the constitutional imperative to realise the provision of universal healthcare, it remains concerned that the NHI model in its current form - will weaken existing healthcare systems and reduce the ability of provinces to deliver responsive and accountable services to residents. The draft governance regulations provide for detailed matters pertaining to, amongst other things, the appointment of a board and CEO for the NHI fund. 'In terms of Section 55(1) of the NHI Act, the National Minister may only make regulations after consulting both the National Health Council - which includes all nine provincial health departments and the national department - and the NHI Fund. Should the Minister make regulations without consulting the fund, the regulations will be invalid. Should the Minister wish to proceed to issue the draft regulations without consulting the fund, it will first be necessary to amend the Act to remove the requirement for consultation with the fund. 'The Act specifies the matters on which the Minister is empowered to make regulations, however these do not specifically include 'governance' and hence could be ultra vires to the Act and invalid,' she said. According to Wenger they were also concerned about the minister's powers to appoint and remove role players, 'without sufficient checks and balances to prevent maladministration'. ANC leader of the opposition in the provincial legislature, Khalid Sayed said they supported the NHI and its full implementation. "The ANC fully supports the implementation of the National Health Insurance as a bold step towards ensuring that no South African is denied access to quality healthcare due to their income or location. 'The Western Cape Government's rejection of the draft regulations reflects a political choice to defend privilege rather than fix inequality. Instead of fearmongering about governance, we should be working together to build a just and inclusive health system for all—rural or urban, rich or poor. The people of this province deserve better than two-tier healthcare. The ANC remains committed to making universal healthcare a reality," said Sayed. National health department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the Western Cape was the only provincial government that had raised objections. 'Only Western Cape has raised objections. How does the Minister consult a Fund that does not exist on regulations that will allow for processes to bring it into existence? The regulations do not mandate any power for the Minister that is not already provided for in the Act. What they do is to require absolute transparency in that process. We hope that the Western Cape government has actually commented on the contents of the draft regulations so that their comments can be accessible to the public,' Mohale said. Wenger said the Western Cape Government will submit its formal written comments on the draft regulations in due course.
IOL News
23-04-2025
- Health
- IOL News
R32 billion health budget signals fresh start for Western Cape healthcare system
Minister Mireille Wenger delivers the Western Cape Health Department's 2025/26 Budget, outlining bold plans to rebuild the public healthcare system and improve patient care across the province. Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, has tabled a bold R32 billion budget for the 2025/26 financial year, ushering in what she described as 'a new chapter' for healthcare in the province. Wenger says this budget is more than a financial plan, it's a statement of intent. 'It's about stability, resilience, and hope. It's about starting a new chapter, together.' The province's public health system, which supports over 75% of the population and recorded more than 25 million patient contacts last year, has faced immense pressure in recent years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to austerity constraints. With the new budget, the provincial department is focused on rebuilding that system and restoring public confidence. Key priorities include restoring critical staffing levels, with over R60.2 billion earmarked for employee compensation over the medium term and managing rising medical costs with over R30 billion set aside for goods and services.
Eyewitness News
23-04-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
WC hospitals responded to high volumes of emergencies over Easter
CAPE TOWN - Western Cape Health and Wellness MEC Mireille Wenger said that hospitals across the province were kept busy over the Easter weekend responding to high volumes of emergencies during peak travel people lost their lives on the province's roads between Thursday last week and of the people killed were pedestrians at 14, with most of the accidents taking place within the Cape Metro. Wenger said the department's Forensic Pathology Service also responded to 23 fatal shootings over the Easter period.
IOL News
23-04-2025
- IOL News
Easter weekend road fatalities in the Western Cape show slight decrease
The Western Cape Government reports a decline in road fatalities, with 22 deaths recorded compared to 26 last year. Image: Western Cape Government Road deaths declined from 26 last Easter to 22 this year, with a further 23 fatal shootings, six confirmed suicides and one drowning. The latest and final data provided by the Western Cape Government shows a total of 22 fatal crashes between April 17 and April 21. The fatalities were 14 pedestrians, five passengers, two drivers and one motorcyclist The Western Cape Mobility Department's Provincial Traffic Services conducted 784 integrated operations across the province during this period, including roadblocks, vehicle check points and speed control operations. During integrated operations, over 30 000 vehicles were stopped and checked, with just over 19 000 fines issued for various offences, 8 714 speeding violations recorded and 226 arrests made, of which 181 were for driving under the influence of alcohol. 'The Western Cape Government is encouraged by the slight decline in road-related fatalities over the 2025 Easter weekend, but continues to urge all road users to make responsible choices on the road, especially as another long weekend approaches. Teams from the Western Cape Government's Mobility Department and the Department of Health and Wellness were out in full force across the province to assist road users, enforce road safety, and respond to emergencies during the peak travel period,' said the Western Cape Government. They added that between 7am on Friday and 7am on Tuesday, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) logged a total of 7 988 incidents. The most frequent calls were for non-cardiac related pain, assault-related injuries, transport-related emergencies including 85 pedestrian vehicle accidents, and 104 motor vehicle accidents. They explained that hospitals across the province also managed high volumes at their emergency centres and that 16 395 patient episodes were recorded over the weekend. Of these 3 624 were trauma-related cases. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness Forensic Pathology Service (FPS) also responded to a number of fatalities over the Easter weekend, with 23 fatal shootings, six confirmed suicides and one drowning. Health MEC Mireille Wenger said: "The sustained demand on our healthcare services highlights the vital role our healthcare workers play across the province - responding with skill, compassion, and unwavering dedication. Each call and each hospital visit represents a person in crisis. We are deeply aware of the emotional and physical toll this takes - not only on our staff, but also on affected families. Preventing trauma is a shared responsibility. We urge residents to continue practising road safety, avoid abusing alcohol, and treat healthcare workers with respect. A safer province is only possible when we all do our part. Thank you to our EMS and hospital teams who worked throughout the long weekend, and for the care and commitment you continue to show our residents." Muneera Allie, Mobility spokesperson, added: 'We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones who lost someone on our roads this weekend. While it is encouraging to see a reduction in road fatalities this Easter compared to last year, we must not lose sight of the fact that every life lost is one too many. All road users are reminded that safety is a shared responsibility. Please obey road rules, avoid reckless behaviour, and ensure that you are fit to drive, not tired or under the influence." Cape Argus
