​Thembisa Shologu                   
In anticipation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) rollout, the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has initiated the acquisition of 18 private hospitals, aiming to bolster the province's healthcare capacity.
Through a collaborative effort between the public and private sectors, facilitated by the Workers Investment Portfolio, the GPG has formalised agreements to convert these hospitals into public healthcare facilities.
This strategic move underscores the government's proactive stance in readiness for the NHI, which aims to provide universal quality healthcare services to all South Africans, irrespective of their socio-economic background. 
"This investment with the National Workers Fund we believe will go a long way to ensure that our health system is improved in our province," said Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
Speaking at the State of the Province Address (SOPA) at Nasrec on Monday, Lesufi said health remained a key concern for Gauteng, which is evident in the substantial budgetary allocation to the sector.
Despite the challenges in the healthcare system in Gauteng, Premier Lesufi highlighted the government's resilience amidst pandemics and health crises. 
Efforts to tackle surgical backlogs commenced in July 2023 with dedicated marathon surgeries.
"True to our commitment to elevating the needs of the impoverished communities, we commenced with this war on surgical backlogs in July 2023 during Mandela Day. 
"The MEC met with medical experts, and they committed themselves to what they term marathon surgeries until the backlog is eliminated, and through the intervention programme, the backlog has been reduced from 37 000 to 11 747," said Lesufi.
The implementation of the one patient-one file system by the Department of Health aims to streamline hospital access, ensuring that only authorised individuals utilise government healthcare facilities. This initiative enhances patient management and alleviates undue pressure on healthcare resources.
"We are proud to announce that since last November, Mamelodi Regional Hospital went live on this system, and we will use the lesson learned in Mamelodi as a basis for other hospitals to follow."
Furthermore, plans to establish a State-owned Pharmaceutical Company signal a significant stride towards self-reliance in medical supplies. 
By transforming the Gauteng Medical Supply Depot into a standalone entity, Lesufi said government aims to streamline the procurement and distribution of medicines, ensuring timely and secure access across healthcare facilities.
"This will go a long way in strengthening our supply chain and distribution processes to ensure that sourcing and delivery of medicines to our healthcare facilities is done securely, efficiently, and on time," added Premier Lesufi.