The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), an entity of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), is supporting the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) by developing some of the technology required.
This, as government needs several systems in place to implement the NHI, which is aimed at providing universal health coverage.
According to the Department of Health, the NHI is a centralised, national insurance fund from which government will buy healthcare services from healthcare providers in both the public and private sectors.
All eligible South African residents, as defined in the NHI Act, will be able to visit these providers whenever they need healthcare, without any payment.
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the controversial NHI Act into law last year.
Professor Blade Nzimande, minister of science, technology and innovation, recently hosted Ramaphosa at the CSIR.
The president toured various facilities and was given information and demonstrations on several aspects of the CSIR’s work. These included the development of systems to support the NHI.
Matthew Chetty, CSIR impact area manager for e-government, briefed the president about the CSIR’s efforts to modernise South Africa’s public sector through the development of smart, integrated digital systems, particularly in the vital arena of healthcare.
Chetty presented the work done to support the national Department of Health, which will create the digital foundation for the NHI, explaining that the systems developed were “not just systems, but national digital assets that will support the future of healthcare in this country”.
One of the core systems displayed was the Health Patient Registration System, which enables the accurate and consistent registration of patients across all public health facilities.
According to the CSIR, by creating a unified digital identity for each beneficiary, the system ensures the continuity of care and strengthens data-driven decision-making.
Another vital system to which the CSIR contributed is the Electronic Vaccine Data System, which played a central role in the country’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
The system facilitated the real-time scheduling and tracking of millions of vaccine doses, proving that large-scale digital health solutions are feasible and effective in SA, it says.
The National Electronic Health Record System revolutionises how patient information is stored, accessed and shared across the healthcare network, facilitating the seamless and secure flow of person-centred healthcare information across institutional and provincial boundaries, it adds.
“These systems are critically important in the context of our health environment, especially as we transition towards the NHI,” explained Chetty.
He believes the CSIR’s role is to support the State in building robust, secure and scalable systems that make a real difference in people’s lives.
“We are not just developing software; we are helping to shape a health system that is future-ready, citizen-focused and built on trust.
“It is essential for government leaders, including the president, to understand the progress we've made and the strategic role the CSIR plays in enabling these digital solutions.”
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