The Hospital Association of South Africa welcomes the Gauteng High Court Certificate of Need judgement handed down earlier today.

We agree that South Africa needs more medical skills and facilities in underserved areas and that medical skills should be distributed more equitably throughout the country to enable wider access to a quality healthcare system.

We are, however, disappointed that a legal challenge to the planned Certificate of Needs became necessary. We would have preferred achieving the objective of a stronger health system through a negotiated and collaborative effort to increase the number of medical students and nurses in medical training facilities to address the healthcare system’s needs.

South Africa is grappling with a severe shortage of doctors and specialists. While the national population has almost doubled since 1994, the number of new medical training facilities opened is insufficient. With almost half the nurses in the country aged 50 or over and fewer new nurses entering the profession, the nursing situation is dire and requires immediate attention.

It is more appropriate for the Government of National Unity to focus efforts on effective and collaborative health system reforms to address health resource challenges. The private hospital members of the Hospital Association of South Africa sector stand ready to engage.