Cape Town - As South Africa grapples with a severe healthcare crisis, the Department of Health’s decision to spend R28 million on advertising the National Health Insurance (NHI) has drawn sharp criticism from the DA.

The revelation was made in a parliamentary reply dated February 6, after DA spokesperson on health, Michele Clarke, asked Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi about the total amount spent on advertising the NHI from 2019/2020 to date.

“From April 1, 2024, to date, the amount spent is R28 462 209.00,” Motsoaledi said.

Motsoaledi said R77 790 588 spent during the 2019/20 financial year was addressed in a reply to Question: 964 on September 13, 2024, where it was noted that during 2022 the NHI allocation spent through Digital Vibes was meant for Covid-19 communication.

This sum is a matter of investigation by the Special Investigating Unit.

Clarke said: “The DA demands that Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi immediately halt the taxpayer-funded propaganda campaign for the National Health Insurance (NHI). This campaign is an unnecessary and wasteful use of public funds, especially at a time when South Africa’s public healthcare system is in dire need of qualified doctors, nurses, and medical personnel.”

Patient-to-doctor and patient-to-nurse ratios. | Supplied

Another parliamentary reply revealed that the country’s doctor-to-patient ratio stands at 1:2 230 (per 10 000 population) and the nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:762 (per 10 000 population).

About the work that was put into developing the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy 2030, Motsoaledi said projections suggest that South Africa will face a significant shortage of healthcare professionals in the coming years.

By 2030, the country is expected to have a shortfall of approximately 97 000 health workers (including all categories) to address inequities across the provinces.

The HRH Strategy indicates that due to population growth alone, the shortfall in essential health workers will worsen by 2030 if health workforce expenditure increases only in line with inflation.

He said for the financial year 2025/26, the department will be conducting a mid-term review of the strategy to develop practical projections and implementation plans towards 2030.

However, Motsoaledi said the figures are subject to change based on various factors, including policy interventions, training and retention programs, and changes in healthcare demand.

“To project the doctor and nurse-to-patient ratios in South Africa, it is assumed that the healthcare workforce will grow by 5% over the next five years, with the population size remaining relatively stable. This increase in the workforce is expected to result in improved doctor and nurse-to-patient ratios,” Motsoaledi said.

The country’s projected doctor-to-patient ratio is 1:2 123 (from 1:2 234) and the nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:729 (from 1:767).

Clarke said: “It is inconceivable that this government, which cannot provide basic healthcare services to its people, chooses to splurge millions on advertisements that promote an unrealistic, unimplementable healthcare scheme.

The billboards that decorate our highways, social media and other advertising, celebrating the NHI are a slap in the face to every South African taxpayer who is already shouldering the burden of a failing healthcare system.

“We call on the minister to stop wasting millions of rand on NHI advertising and redirect those funds into addressing the severe staffing shortages in our public hospitals. The DA will not stand by while taxpayers’ money is thrown away on a far-fetched plan that only benefits political agendas and not the South African people.”

Cape Argus