Hon Speaker, this is the answer to Question 231 to the Minister of Health in relation to the private health sector's being labelled "brutal". I have had a discussion with the Minister and my response is based on that discussion.
The Minister of Health labelled the private health sector system as being "brutal", where people are denied access to care in private facilities, even in emergency situations. In some cases, due to administrative problems with their medical aid cover, they are expected to pay tens of thousands of rands upfront, immediately, before they are attended to medically. Also, in some cases where the medical funds are exhausted prior to the full treatment being provided, they are refused further treatment.
There is no problem in the relationship of the ministry and the Minister with the private sector. The Minister himself meets regularly with representatives from the private sector. The concern of the Minister is the affordability of private health services in South Africa; hence the proposal that has been made, of a National Health Insurance, NHI, system.
We would like to call on all South Africans, in both the public and the private sector, to embrace the World Health Organisation, WHO, guidelines in finding solutions through the NHI system to effectively managing the hospital-centred system, which has a strong curative focus instead of a disease prevention and promotion focus; secondly, to deal with the fragmentation in the approach of health programmes and service delivery, so that we build an integrated health system that is more effective; and, thirdly, to deal with uncontrolled, unregulated commercialisation of health care which undermines the principles of health as a public good.
In some instances, even financially stable families are thrown into poverty due to the high and unjustifiable cost of health care. Some examples of costs which are high and unjustifiable and which have been brought to the attention of the ministry include: R18 000 for what we call a D&C, which is dilation and curettage, mainly for women who have had an incomplete abortion or abortions; R30 000 for a perianal abscess, which can be a relatively minor operation; and R67 000 for the evaluation of a person who had a car accident and came into the hospital walking.
Then there was R500 000 - half a million rand - for a laparotomy for a peritoneal abscess, and in addition there were separate surgeon's fees of R23 000 and separate anaesthetic fees of R3 000. Finally, there was another R700 000 for the same patient for a repeat of the operation, and that was just before the patient died! Other overservicing by the private sector was where, instead of a procedure that was worth R200 that a child of 10 years needed, an offer was made for a root canal treatment worth R20 000.
I have no doubt that hon member Waters and the House will appreciate the choice of words of the Minister of Health, given that he had to save taxpayers' money recently. He effected a saving of R4 billion meant for HIV- positive, mainly poor patients from the claws and jaws of the pharmaceutical industry just recently. This money was meant for antiretroviral treatment, ART. If the Minister had not intervened, it would have become part of the profits of this industry.
The Minister has signed a service level agreement with the President to increase the life expectancy of South Africans. He is taking his job seriously. Let us continue supporting him in this endeavour and ensure that we built partnerships. Thank you. [Time expired.]