1. ACHIEVING REGIONAL INTEGRATION
BHF ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Squaring
the Circle
SUN CITY, SOUTH AFRICA
22 TO 25 JULY 2007
ACHIEVING REGIONAL INTEGRATION
ANDRÉ F. SEPTEMBER
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

2. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
REGIONAL INTEGRATION
Squaring
the Circle
The Context
The Rationale
The Principles
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

3. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
THE CONTEXT - SADC
Squaring
the Circle
SADCC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference) was formed in Lusaka, Zambia on 1 April, 1980, with the main aim of coordinating development projects in order to lessen economic dependence on the then apartheid South Africa.
The founding Member States are: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The transformation of the organisation from a Coordination Conference into a Development Community (SADC) took place on 17 August, 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia when the Declaration and Treaty was signed at the Summit of Heads of State and Government thereby giving the organisation a legal character.
The Member States are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
SADC headquarters are in Gaborone, Botswana.
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

4. THE RATIONALE - SADC VISION
Squaring
the Circle
The SADC vision is one of a common future, a future within a regional community that will ensure economic well-being, improvement of the standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice and peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa.
This shared vision is anchored on the common values and principles and the historical and cultural affinities that exist between the peoples of Southern Africa.
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

5. THE PRINCIPLES - SADC TREATY, Article 4
Squaring
the Circle
Principles
SADC and its Members States shall act in accordance with the following principles:
Sovereign equality of all Member States
Solidarity, peace and security
Human rights, democracy and the rule of law
Equity, balance and mutual benefit; and
Peaceful settlement of disputes
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

6. MEDICAL AID FUNDING – REGIONAL RATIONALE
Squaring
the Circle
Common future
Future within a regional community
Ensure economic well-being, improvement of standards of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice
Common values and principles
Historical and cultural affinities between the peoples
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

7. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
Squaring
the Circle
BHF is the representative organisation for 95% of medical schemes throughout South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Botswana as well as Lesotho.
As the industry representative body, the organisation relies on the membership of all medical schemes to ensure that it is able to lobby government and other organisations effectively and to influence policy where necessary on behalf of the entire industry.
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

8. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
BENCHMARKING
Squaring
the Circle
Equality?
Solidarity?
Equity?
Balance?
Mutual benefit?
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

9. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City?
Squaring
the Circle
Is BHF indeed representative of medical aid schemes in the Region?
Is BHF able to effectively represent the interest of its members?
Can BHF influence policy on behalf of the entire industry?
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

10. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
BHF - REPRESENTATIVE
Squaring
the Circle
Commands the numbers
95% of funds or schemes
All medical aid funds in Namibia
16 out of 21 in Zimbabwe
Large majorities of schemes in South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

11. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
BHF - REPRESENTATION
Squaring
the Circle
Articles of Association inhibitive
Contextualised within South African legislation only
External scheme
External representative body
Composition of Board
Agenda not regional in nature
BHF currently principally a reference point for observing dynamics and experiences of South African context
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

12. BHF – INFLUENCING POLICY
Squaring
the Circle
Too South African-centric
Seen as South African institution
Advocacy aimed at South African government and environment
Not maximising its most valuable strategic imperative to its advantage
Absence of regional outlook - not clear agenda
Not giving value to rest of SADC membership
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

13. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
THE WAY FORWARD
Squaring
the Circle
Revisit initial intent
Review of strategic, philosophical and structural paradigms
South Africa needs its own national interest representative body
Separate regional institution
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

14. THE WAY FORWARD – REGIONAL BODY
Squaring
the Circle
Driven by principles of equality, solidarity, equity, balance, and mutual benefit
Agenda driven by regional issues/ interests
Synergy with SADC agenda – given medical aid supporting role
Equal national representation
Contributions on the principle of capacity
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

15. SYNERGY WITH SADC AGENDA - SADC Protocol on Health
Squaring
the Circle
14 Heads of State and Government signed Protocol on 18 August 1999 at Maputo
Angola; Botswana; Democratic Republic of Congo; Lesotho; Malawi; Mauritius; Mozambique; Namibia; Seychelles; South Africa; Swaziland; Tanzania; Zambia; and Zimbabwe
Has not entered into force yet (not enough signatories)
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

16. Protocol on Health - Fundamentals
Squaring
the Circle
A healthy population is a prerequisite for sustainable human development and increased productivity in Region
Close co-operation in the area of health is essential for the effective control of communicable diseases and for addressing common health concerns in Region
Rendering co-ordinated and comprehensive health services in a concerted manner is a prerequisite for the improved health status of people of the Region in 21st century and beyond
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

17. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
Protocol - Aim
Squaring
the Circle
Realise aspirations of regional co-operation and integration in area of health
Offer full range of cost effective and quality integrated health services through regional co-operation
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

18. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
Protocol - Principles
Squaring
the Circle
Striving for the formulation of regional health policies and strategies consistent with principles contained in Article 4 of the Treaty
Promoting, co-ordinating and supporting individual and collective efforts of member States to attain an acceptable standard of health for all their people
Commitment to the Primary Health Care approach
Promoting health care for all through better access to health services
Ensuring equitable and broad participation for mutual benefit in regional co-operation in health
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

19. Protocol – Systems Research and Surveillance
Squaring
the Circle
Sharing of information on health systems research and surveillance and co-operate and assist each other in its dissemination
Identifying and conducting health systems research using, among others, the Essential Regional Health Research
Co-operating and assisting each other in regional surveillance with respect to communicable and non-communicable diseases, and to develop a common set of indicators for these diseases
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

20. Protocol – Health Information Systems
Squaring
the Circle
Ensuring access to good quality health data and its use in planning and managing health systems
Developing and formulating coherent, comparable, harmonised and standardised policies
Developing of a health information systems policy framework
Developing of common definitions and a common data dictionary
Establishing mechanisms for information exchange
Establishing a SADC Regional Data of Health and Social Service Indicators
Developing of Tele-Health applications
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

21. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
Protocol - General
Squaring
the Circle
Provides also for the following:
Health Promotion and Education
Communicable Disease Control
HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Malaria Control
Tuberculosis Control
Non-communicable Disease Control
Chronic Diseases and Conditions of Older Persons
Disabilities
Reproductive Health
Childhood and Adolescent Health
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

22. The BHF Southern African Conference 22-25 July’07 Sun City
Protocol - General
Squaring
the Circle
Health Human Resources Development
Health Care Resources
Traditional Health Practitioners
Prevention and Treatment of Trauma
Mental Health
Environmental Health
Occupational Health
Emergency Health Services and Disaster Management
Health Laboratory Services
Health Technology and Equipment
Referral Systems
Pharmaceuticals
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City

23. END Thank You! André Francious September NAMAF CEO Squaring the Circle
The BHF Southern African Conference July’07 Sun City