Solidarity rejects regulations for health practitioners that will lead to the expropriation of practices

16 August 2021

Solidarity yesterday submitted its comments on the proposed regulations for the implementation of the “Certificate of Need” for health practitioners. Solidarity is vehemently opposing these regulations which, as a result of the implementation of the certificate, will threaten ownership rights of private practices.

“The state only has one goal in mind and that is to centralise health care in its entirety. In its latest regulations it even goes so far as to threaten the right of ownership that vests with practices through the implementation of its certificate of need. With this the state wants to appropriate the sole right to itself to decide who may provide health care and what health care may be provided,” Henru Krüger, sector head of the professional guild at Solidarity said.

According to Solidarity, around 70 000 existing practices are affected by the new regulations. Solidarity is of the opinion that the government does not have the capacity to manage the administration, nor is it competent to decide on the nature of care patients may need or are entitled to receive. Solidarity contends that the implementation of this certificate is nothing but an attempt by the government to centralise the health system, paving the way for National Health Insurance (NHI). In the process, the government does not take the rights of health practitioners into account at all.

“The government wants to totally control health care. It wants to limit health practitioners in the services they may render, and it wants to subject them to its power. Not only does the government deprive them of their constitutional right to choose and practise in their field of specialisation, but it also undermines the rights of members of the public to access the health care of their choice,” Krüger said.

Solidarity is also of the opinion that the publication of the regulations is part of the government’s strategy to enable it to implement national health insurance. The government’s view that no private health care should be provided, and that the entire private health sector should be absorbed by the public health sector is widely known.

“The way in which the state is dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic has already proven that the state is not competent to manage the current health system. By incorporating private health practitioners into the public sector in what basically amounts to forced labour will result in an exodus of skilled medical professionals. South Africa’s health care will not improve but will rather deteriorate to such an extent that good medical services would almost not be unavailable. The state poses a threat to health practitioners and to the health of all South Africans and this must be stopped at all costs,” Krüger concluded.

Issued by Connie Mulder, Head, Solidarity Research Institute, 16 August 2021