Progress made on blueprint primary healthcare clinics project

Lutubeni Clinic, one of eight being constructed in the Eastern Cape

The facilities in Maxwele, Nkanga and Nolitha in the OR Tambo District are the blueprint for the Ideal Clinic programme, and are currently under development by the National Department of Health and cost R75m.

Eight clinics (valued at R257m) are being developed in the Eastern Cape and the other three (valued at R200m) are planned for the Free State. The latter are currently in the planning phases with work envisioned to commence in the short to medium term.

One of the first two clinics to be completed - Nkanga and Maxwele have been equipped with state of the art equipment including accommodation for staff.

NHI vision

It’s envisioned the NHI will cover services that are delivered on a people-centred integrated healthcare service platform to ensure a more responsive and accountable health system that takes into account socio-economic factors, while prioritising vulnerable communities.

The NHI pilot project is designed to ensure that every primary healthcare clinic has a doctor on site, either full time or on a part-time basis. Furthermore, this project is utilised to assess the primary healthcare clinics according to the Ideal Clinic standards. The doctors based at the NHI pilot clinics are also requested to report on equipment and infrastructure problems to their district support partners in order to address the teething problems before the full implementation of the NHI programme in South Africa.

According to the National Department of Health, “The NHI is a financing system that will make sure that all citizens of South Africa (and legal long-term residents) are provided with essential healthcare, regardless of their employment status and ability to make a direct monetary contribution to the NHI Fund. In addition, healthcare is a human right – this is a widely accepted international principle.