Innovation in the health system is not a luxury, but a necessity in the context of South Africa. Photo: Denvor de Wee / Gallo Images / PHOTO24)
South African National Health Insurance (NHI) policies promises a future in which the health entrance is no longer income or geography. It is an ambitious step for capital and dignity in the field of health. However, many of us continue to work in the health innovation – NHI, especially in achievable areas, can be successful without investing in the technology that improves delivery, access and sustainability?
On paper, the nhi is a strong vision. In practice, the extreme loaded public system is built on the collapsed layer. People’s health workers extend to the point of breaking. Clinics and hospitals in the canceled communities operate outside the potential, facing critical failures of personnel and equipment and have no infrastructure often to manage growing patient volumes.
South Africa spends more than 8.1% of GDP in the field of health, but public consequences remain angry and the space between special and public services continues to expand. According to South African statistics, More than 20% of the village South Africans have regular access to doctors. Compounding is the financial fragility of this system. With Only 3 million taxpayers with more than 60 million People remain a question mark of the sustainability of NHI.
South Africa is not the first country to try to universal coverage in tense conditions. USA Medicaid The program covering more than 90 million income individuals, as well as retrieval, provider deficiency and delayed speech, especially in the village and indifferent areas, long-term problems. And this is one of the richest nations in the world.
Medicaid, even large-scale health care reforms also show that it is not possible to deliver solid support systems, innovation and non-centralized access strategies. If the United States, Medicaid, South Africa is fighting the US health capital without a financial cushion – it must be more intentional on how to design and support their reforms.
Very often the innovation is painted as luxury. However, it is a necessity in the context of South Africa. If we want to build a health care system that serves all South Africans – only the city, not a good connection – we need to invest in the vehicles that can reduce the center, expenses and failure.
Additional production (3D printing) and artificial intelligence (AI) are two of the most powerful tools available today. In the world countries in the world, these technologies are used to expand diagnostic power, produce specifically suitable medical devices and make faster and more accurate care.
In cardiovascular care, 3D printed anatomical models reduce surgical time up to 30% and reduces diagnostic errors 15%. Special prosthesis, surgical instruments and patient-specific implants can now be produced in place in one part of the traditional cost. These are not hypothetical scenarios – India, in countries such as Brazil and China.
Southern African imports more than 90% of medical equipmentMany are extremely highly appreciated, delayed due to local realities and / or global supply chains. The result? Clinics are waiting for vehicles that never come. Patients have not been treated. The opportunities are lost to strengthen local innovation.
Is more environmental payment. Long-distance transportation of major medical goods contributes to the carbon footprint of health care. With the right investment, it can allow you to do what is needed for South Africa due to the production of care points, what is needed, expenses and waste disposal.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement and Regulation can support the growth of nodes, which produce localized and quality production and regulation of the medication and regulation.
On a global scale, the AI ​​changes how much health is handed. In India, AI instruments improved early cancer detection rates 40% By analyzing image scans in low resource hospitals. In Kenya, mobile AI tools, the mother’s death reduced 20%, otherwise it reached patients, otherwise.
The AI ​​can help health workers and community health workers with triage patients, and can help with care for the early detection of chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. These technologies can be adapted to local languages, health profiles and epidemiological truths. But the AI ​​instruments that reflect African populations without education are inaccurate or inappropriate. Investment in the African-LED, context’s AI systems is not only ethical – it is important.
Some will claim that South Africa is not ready for these technologies. But the truth is that we cannot be. The cost of investing in innovation is already in the loaded hospitals, in the endless period and endless period of donor dependence and the infinite period of imported solutions.
NHI can be historical level – but if it is accompanied by foresight to integrate the innovation in each floor of the health system.
To make the NHI success – and for this to do all the corners of the country to serve South Africans – the Health Department must invest in the centralized innovative infrastructure such as 3D-circulation centers in regional hospitals; Support for South African data and AI diagnostic remedies that are suitable for disease loads; To promote the state-private partnership that brings innovation to front clinics; Sustainability measurements are purchasing medical devices, purchasing medical devices in effective use of local, ethical production and train and medical workforce, health workforce.
Innovation is not just about gadgets. About permanent. About the dignity. And about justice.
Health reform is never easy. But we stop at a road crossing – continue with a bureaucratic version of the capital or invest in a system that really changed people’s lives.
We do not need more promises. We need policy supported by budgets supported by science, courage and innovation.
There are political frameworks in South Africa as part of talent, youth and politics to lead Africa in health updates. The only question left is the lack of our will.
Dr Charise Donn an entrepreneur and a Harvard South African companion Harvard’s Chan Chan Health School is a MPH. He presented Tedx Speak about health updates in Africa, G20 and BRICS, among other awards and other awards, represented South Africa in South Africa, one of 200 South Africans in 2019.
