‘Universal health coverage’ mooted for vaccine

Though the contentious National Health Insurance (NHI) is yet to be legally signed into government policy, the vaccination plan is very much in line with the principles, tenets and aspirations of the NHI.

According to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize’s spokesperson, Lwazi Manzi, the approach was part of government’s goals to achieve universal coverage reach.

She said many other countries were following similar paths of universal health coverage in their vaccine roll-out to ensure no one was left out, rich or poor.

“There are still challenges that are a hangover, socioeconomic dynamics that have defined the old way of delivering public health service, but we are seeing a concerted global effort towards inculcating the principles of universal health coverage in the delivery of vaccines,” Manzi said.

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Health department technical advisor Dr Aquina Thulare said “the vaccination will be free at the point of service”, with or without medical aid.

Out of 40 million people that require the jab, only 7.1 million are covered by private sector medical schemes and 32.9 million are uninsured, she said this week.

The department will use the electronic vaccine data system to capture accredited facilities, pre-booking for vaccinations and also capture all relevant data associated with the administration of the vaccine.

Thulare explained that for those with medical aid, the funds will be raised from medical schemes, though the vaccine will be administered free at the point of service.

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Government will fund the about 32.9 million people, including the healthcare workers, without medical aid.

Stellenbosch University epidemiologist Dr Jo Barnes said while some vaccination movement was welcomed, there were aspects that were concerning.

She said apart from the lack of openness and the obviously late initiation of this plan, there were a number of aspects that created the impression that this was only a first draft of a plan.

– siphom@citizen.co.za

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