Are South Africans given priority free health care over foreign nationals? Minister clears the air

Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi has responded to questions over the treatment of foreign nationals in state hospitals and clinics.

Only around 15% of the population has medical aid or private health care. This means more than 53 million South Africans have to turn to one of the 3,888 public clinics, health centres and hospitals across the country.

In a recent Parliamentary question, Motsoaledi was asked what his department was doing “to ensure that the rights of South African citizens to access medical care are prioritised instead of those of foreign nationals”.

“The Republic’s public healthcare services are struggling to provide sufficient medical care to citizens and are further burdened by thousands of illegal foreign nationals, refugees and asylum seekers who are benefiting from the already constrained healthcare budget and services for their medical needs,” added Patriotic Alliance MP Filicity Rorke.

In response, Motsoaledi said all those all those in the country, whether SA citizens or foreign nationals, were equally entitled to free health care.

“The rights of South African citizens to access medical care are prioritised and also of those of foreign nationals, refugees and asylum seekers that are eligible, as per the constitution.”

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What about people coming over the border to give birth?

Motsoaledi was also asked what steps he had taken on women crossing the border to give birth in South Africa.

“It is difficult to ascertain whether or not a foreign national entered the country specifically for healthcare reasons,” the minister responded.

“In most instances pregnant women who are immigrants present themselves at health facilities when they are about to go into labour, resulting in the need for emergency healthcare.

“Section 27 (3) of the Constitution provides that no one may be refused emergency medical treatment.”

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Motsaledi noted a recent Gauteng High Court order “instructing that all pregnant and lactating mothers and children below the age of six who are not members or beneficiaries of medical aid schemes and who have not come to South Africa for the specific purpose of obtaining healthcare are entitled to free health care services at any public healthcare establishment”.

“This is irrespective of their nationality and documentation status,” he added.

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