South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday presided over the launch of a Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum, a platform meant to fight vice in the sector.
Launching the forum in Pretoria, Ramaphosa said the new initiative would group various stakeholders in the fight against fraud and corruption in the health sector to prevent, detect and prosecute fraud and corruption.
“This is one of the critical steps that government is taking to transform the healthcare system and to rid it of, not only the inefficiencies of the past, but also of corruption,” the president said.
He added: “This is about reducing wastage and excess. We cannot achieve these objectives for as long as corruption persists.”
Stakeholders at the launch signed a pact that outlined terms of reference, mutual support and cooperation they would lend towards the fight against fraud and corrupt practices in the healthcare sector.
The Special Investigating Unit, Health Ministry, the Council for Medical Schemes, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Financial Intelligence Centre, the Health Funders Association, the Health Professions Council of South Africa, Corruption Watch, the National Prosecuting Authority, Section 27 and the board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa are the leading members of the forum.
NM/jn/APA