Last Friday, President Ramaphosa announced that his office would become deeply involved in the building and implementation of consensus towards universal health coverage at a stakeholder engagement session in Gauteng. The Hospital Association of South Africa welcomes this step and the President’s visible leadership as well as his and the National Treasury’s hand-on approach in support of the National Department of Health. Getting our healthcare system operating efficiently and effectively is perhaps the single most pressing problem we face in this country of ours and leadership at the highest level, together with a deliberate initiative to build consensus, collaboration, and co-operation are crucial to ensure that all stakeholders and role-players have a contribution and are able to make that contribution, is welcomed.