Motsoaledi says there's no plans to change some sections at public hospitals into private wards

JOHANNESBURG - Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that creating private wards in public hospitals would be counterproductive.

Motsoaledi said that there is currently no plan before the department to create such wards at public hospitals to cater for people with medical aids, who prefer public facilities.

Motsoaledi made the comment in a written parliamentary response to the EFF about repurposing portions of public hospitals into private sections to be used by government employees.

Motsoaledi was asked whether in light of how the state pays up to R71 billion a year for its employees to access private healthcare, has he considered repurposing some public hospitals to be used by government officials.

But Motsoaledi said that there is currently no plan to change some public sections into private wards.

He said instead many public hospitals also attend to patients that have medical aid cover but who prefer to be cared for in public hospitals.

The minister said that these patients get admitted to normal wards like all other patients without discrimination.

But Motsoaledi said that there was an attempt previously to create private wards inside the public hospitals which he says was counterproductive as doctors would bring their private patients and pay more attention to them at the expense of public patients.

Motsoaledi said that the current experience is that an increasing number of privately funded patients also seek care in public hospitals.