I am glad to inform readers and subscribers to this page that my book published last year by Quickfox Publishers is now available on Amazon Books in either Kindle ebook or hard copy versions. In recent posts on this site I have referred to the book and I feel that what I have chronicled in the book remains relevant to the discourse on the future of healthcare in South Africa and elsewhere. I can also recommend the book to those who are either embarking on a career in health management or already in the thick of the challenges that such positions bring. I am glad that the book now has…
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National Health Insurance … what are alternatives?
I have in recent posts referred to my concerns related to the National Health Insurance (NHI) draft bill and it is only reasonable to ask, “So if you are concerned what alternatives would you recommend or consider? It is easy to criticise but if it is accepted that the current status quo for the majority of South Africans is unacceptable, rather than carping on the sidelines offer alternatives!” So much has been written in the last few years on this topic that I am hesitant that I can add anything of value to the debate but for what is worth here are my views! Since 1994 the divide between those…
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The more things change the more they stay the same …
The more things change the more they stay the same Ah, is it just me or does anybody see The new improved tomorrow isn’t what it used to be Yesterday keeps comin’ ’round, it’s just reality … The words of a song by Bon Jovi echo in my mind as I reflect on the state of South African healthcare. The song itself echoes the words of the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr from the 1800’s who wrote that “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same – indicating that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level…
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From policy pronouncements to implementation … a seemingly difficult path!
I was struck that many of the pronouncements by President Ramaphosa in the 2022 State of the Nation Address (SoNA 2022) are noble in intent but fail to address the mechanism by which policy pronouncements become a reality. While it is correct, as the President did, to allude to the consequences of State Capture and the COVID-19 pandemic that have set the country back, these alone cannot be the reasons why South Africa finds itself in the perilous position that it does today. In fact, from the Constitution down this country has some of the most progressive policies and legislation in the world but has failed in many areas to…