Early Online: Vol. 114 No. 4.

Maternal healthcare in South Africa faces huge private and public health systems challenges. A key challenge for policy makers is how to address the inappropriate patterns of obstetric care in the private sector and how to mobilise private sector resources to serve the broader population dependent on the public sector, without replicating those patterns of inappropriate care. Developing and implementing new obstetric care models that address these challenges and lend themselves to public private engagements could play a vital role in efforts to improve obstetric care in the country.

South African healthcare reforms towards universal healthcare - where to next?

The National Assembly approval of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill represents an important milestone, but there are many uncertainties concerning its implementation and timeline. The challenges faced by the South African healthcare system are huge, and we cannot afford to wait for NHI to address them all. It is critical that the process of strengthening the health system to advance universal healthcare (UHC) begins now, and there are several viable initiatives that can be implemented without delay.

Models using private general practitioners to provide caesarean deliveries at five South African district public hospitals: insights for public-private contracting for obstetric care in rural areas.

Background: Harnessing of private sector resources could play an important role in efforts to promote universal access to safe obstetric care including caesarean delivery in low- and middle-income countries especially in rural contexts but any such attempt would need to ensure that the care provided is appropriate and patterns of inappropriate care, such as high caesarean delivery rates, are not reproduced for the entire population.

Objective: To examine the contracting arrangements for using private general practitioners to provide caesarean delivery services in rural district hospitals in South Africa.

Method: We utilised a mixed-method study design to examine the contracting models adopted by five rural district hospitals in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Thematic analysis of the challenges and options for the Portfolio Committee on Health in reviewing the National Health Insurance Bill.

The Portfolio Committee on Health (PCH) obtained public input on the National Health Insurance Bill from a wide array of individuals and organisations between May and September 2021. The record of these submissions collated by the Parliamentary Monitoring Group provided the source material for this article. The concerns, suggestions and other issues raised by respondents were analysed to determine what challenges and options the PCH needs to take seriously as they prepare the Bill for Parliament.

The role of the Minister of Health in the National Health Insurance Bill: Challenges and options for the Portfolio Committee on Health.

The Portfolio Committee on Health (PCH) is responsible for obtaining public input on the National Health Insurance Bill, reviewing the Bill based on these inputs, and presenting the final Bill to the National Assembly. More than 130 individuals, organisations and institutions requested to make oral presentations, which commenced on 18 May 2021. Drawing on Parliamentary Monitoring Group meeting summaries and the presentations and submissions made by 82 respondents between 18 May and 10 September 2021, we examine governance concerns, especially in relation to the role and powers of the Minister of Health, and respondents' proposals for addressing them, and outline the challenges and options for the PCH in responding to the proposals.