The SACP is outraged at the plans by some of the big private hospital groups, including the National Hospital Network and Netcare, to hike fees by as much as up to 33% as from this year. The private health care sector is already consuming a much bigger slice of our health resources and is also making huge profits for itself at the direct expense of the majority of the people of our country, feeding like parasites on workers’ already overstretched medical aid schemes.
Public-Private Mix
SACP Statement on plans by private hospitals to increase fees
SACP, 6 January 2008
The business of health in Africa: Partnering with the private sector to improve people's lives
International Finance Corporation, January 2008
This report describes opportunities for engaging and supporting a well managed and effectively regulated private sector to improve the region’s health and complementary to traditional public sector approaches.
Investing for life: meeting poor people’s needs for access to medicines through responsible business practices
Oxfam, 2007
The paper argues that there is potential for pharmaceutical companies to contribute more substantially and effectively towards increasing access to medicines for poor people in developing countries. This is yet to be achieved because their approaches have been ad-hoc, and they have failed to deliver sustainable solutions or adopt appropriate strategies. Oxfam recommends that the industry must put access to medicines at the health of its decision-making and practices. This is both a more sustainable long-term business strategy and would allow the industry to better play its role in achieving the universal right to health.
Public Policy and Franchising Reproductive Health: Current Evidence and Future Directions
Huntington D, Sulzbach S, O’Hanlon B: WHO, 2007
The rapid growth of the private health sector in low-resource countries is widely recognized. Private providers commonly deliver a substantial proportion of health services in most settings, particularly outpatient primary care, that include reproductive health services. Whether the reason is convenience,proximity or the perceived higher quality and confidential nature of private healthcare providers, the fact remains that a considerable number of women turn to the private sector for their reproductive health needs. This Guidance Note is based on the proceedings of the meeting and offers policymakers and researchers the latest evidence on private-provider networks and franchises, lessons learned in the field, and policy recommendations on how to mobilize private-provider networks and health franchises to help address reproductive health care needs in developing countries.
The Charter of the Public and Private Health Sectors of The Republic Of South Africa
Department of Health, South Africa
Access to health care is a complex issue of constitutional significance. There are significant numbers of people in South Africa who do not have adequate access to health services due to geographical, financial, physical, communication, sociological (such as unfair discrimination and stigmatisation)and other barriers. Access to medical schemes is diminishing in real terms. Medical schemes provide financing for almost 7 million people but over the years membership figures have declined as a percentage of the general population. This is due in part to major increases in non-health expenditure by medical schemes on items such as administration and brokers fees. This Charter commits to move towards a coherent, unified health system offering financial protection for all the population in accessing a nationally affordable package of health care at the time of need and to improve access to health care services.
The Role of the Private Sector within the South African Health System
HST, 2007
The 2007 edition of the South African Health Review focuses on broad areas with respect to the role of the private health sector i.e. oversight, pooling of resources and purchasing of health care, delivery of health care services and health and related indicators.
A Survey of Prescribing Practices of Health Care Workers in Kibaha District in Tanzania
Massele AY, Nsimba SE, Fulgence J: Tanzania Medical Journal 22 (1): 31-33, 2007
Previous studies in the public sector in Tanzania, have demonstrated major prescribing problems due to poly-pharmacy and irrational use of antibiotics and injections. Little is understood about prescribing in the private sector. This paper measures and compares prescribing practices in public and private dispensaries in Kibaha District Tanzania. Prescribing of antibiotic and injections was significantly higher in private than in public dispensaries (P<0.05). The extent of prescribing in private dispensaries calls for intervention to reduce overuse of antibiotics and injections.
Household Storage of Pharmaceuticals, Sources and Dispensing Practices in Drug Stores and Ordinary Retail Shops in Rural Areas of Kibaha District, Tanzania
Nsimba SE and Jande MB: The East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 9 (3): 74-80
A cross sectional study was conducted in rural areas of Kibaha district within the Coastal region of Tanzania to assess knowledge on dosage, storage, expiry and dispensing practices of antimalarial drugs among households, drug stores and ordinary shops. The majority of drug store (53 %) and ordinary retail shop (75 %) sellers did not dispense correct doses of antimalarials due to low literacy and lack of dosage guidelines or package inserts. In order to reduce incidences of drug poisoning due to over-dosage or drug resistance due to under dosage, there is need to educate both consumers and dispensers on correct dosage regimens through mass media such as radio, health education programs, television, posters, leaflets and newspapers.
The viability of local pharmaceutical production in Tanzania
Losse K, Schneider E: Deutsche Gessellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit , 2007
This study analyses the economic potential of pharmaceutical production of Anti Retroviral Drugs (ARVs) in Tanzania. This includes an analysis of the pharmaceutical sector in the country and the potential to export ARVs to the region. The study shows that production of pharmaceutical products in Tanzania is on the rise and can become viable in the long term. Even though the overall drug market is rather small, public health related drugs have a significant, largely donor based, market.
WHO seeks affordable medicine for poor, without stifling drug companies
International Herald Tribune, 5 November 2007
The UN health chief urged countries to come up with new ways to make medicine for HIV/AIDS and other diseases more affordable in the world's poorest countries, without stifling innovation among pharmaceutical companies. WHO's 193 member states are looking to forge a global strategy on the highly divisive issues of drug development, patenting and pricing.