The University of South Africa (Unisa) has called for stronger collaboration between higher education institutions and the healthcare sector to help make quality healthcare more accessible and affordable to South Africans who do not have medical scheme cover.

The call emerged during a Leadership Engagement held at the university's Muckleneuk Campus in Tshwane. The gathering brought together representatives from the health sector to discuss ways of addressing healthcare inequalities, strengthening skills development and using technology to improve access to healthcare services. At the centre of the discussions was the need to move beyond traditional, siloed approaches to medical education and build a more collaborative, technology-driven healthcare ecosystem.

Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Prof Puleng LenkaBula said universities had an important role to play in addressing the country's healthcare challenges through innovation, research and partnerships extending across Africa and beyond. "A university without health and medical sciences is confronted with distinct academic, institutional, and societal limitations," she said. LenkaBula also highlighted the importance of strengthening local manufacturing capacity, particularly in the wake of vulnerabilities exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic. She linked this to the African Union's ambition to ensure that at least 60% of essential health products are produced locally by 2040.

She said universities should become active contributors to public health solutions by supporting local innovation and using data and research to respond to healthcare needs. South Africa's potential as a biopharmaceutical producer, she suggested, presented an opportunity for universities to contribute to a stronger and more resilient healthcare system.

Lee Callakoppen of Bonitas Medical Fund supported the call for closer partnerships between medical schemes and higher education institutions. He argued that healthcare systems needed to move away from a model focused mainly on treating illness towards one that prioritised prevention, affordability and the needs of patients. He said addressing shortages of skilled professionals and regulatory uncertainty would be essential to improving the sector.

"As we gather, we must consider the pressing need to overcome human capital shortages and regulatory uncertainties," Callakoppen said. He pointed to Bonitas's investment in institutions such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal as an example of how medical schemes could support the development of future healthcare professionals and leaders.

Dr Mangaliso Mahlaba, chief executive of Thebe Ya Bophelo Administrators

Dr Mangaliso Mahlaba, chief executive of Thebe Ya Bophelo Administrators, described universal healthcare as an important development goal and called for greater attention to primary healthcare. He emphasised the need to encourage healthier lifestyles, strengthen preventive healthcare and improve access to services for underserved communities. Mahlaba also highlighted the opportunities created by advances in technology and data management. He proposed establishing dedicated institutions for digital healthcare, potentially drawing on Unisa’s existing resources and capabilities to improve patient experiences and health outcomes.

His contribution highlighted the importance of using technology not only to improve healthcare administration but also to expand access and support more effective service delivery. Marinus Pretorius, Acting Principal Officer of POLMED, emphasised that improving healthcare access would require cooperation across the different parts of the healthcare ecosystem. He said universal health coverage should be viewed not simply as a policy objective but as a shared responsibility requiring commitment from all stakeholders.

Marinus Pretorius, Acting Principal Officer of POLMED.

The engagement highlighted the need for universities, medical schemes, healthcare administrators, government and industry to work together to address skills shortages, improve healthcare infrastructure and make services more accessible. The discussions speak to Unisa's broader responsibility to use its teaching, research and institutional partnerships to address challenges facing society. Stronger engagement with the healthcare sector could help the university contribute to developing health professionals, supporting research and exploring technology-based solutions to improve healthcare delivery.

The proposed emphasis on health sciences, local pharmaceutical production and digital healthcare also has implications for Unisa's Catalytic Niche Areas, particularly Fourth Industrial Revolution and Digitalisation and Health and Well-being. These areas provide a strategic basis for exploring how technology, research and interdisciplinary collaboration can support more accessible and responsive healthcare systems. The engagement also aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 3, Good Health and Well-being, is central to efforts to expand access to quality healthcare and strengthen preventive services. SDG 4, Quality Education, is relevant to developing the skills and expertise required by the health sector, while SDG 9, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, speaks to local pharmaceutical production and digital healthcare solutions. The emphasis on partnerships also supports SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals.

At the continental level, the discussions support the African Union's Agenda 2063, particularly its focus on healthy and well-nourished citizens, improved access to healthcare and stronger African capacity in science, technology and innovation. The ambition to increase local production of essential health products also speaks to Africa's broader drive for economic self-reliance and reduced dependence on external supply chains. In South Africa, the National Development Plan 2030 identifies improved healthcare, a capable health workforce and a strengthened public health system as important priorities. The engagement's focus on primary healthcare, prevention, skills development and technology reflects the need for coordinated action to address these challenges.

Sustainability is another important consideration. A more resilient healthcare system requires investment in local production, skilled professionals, reliable infrastructure and technology that can improve efficiency while reaching underserved communities. The discussions at Unisa underscored that expanding healthcare access will require more than individual institutional initiatives. It will depend on sustained partnerships, investment in people and research, and a shared commitment to building a healthcare system that serves more South Africans.

* By Sipho Jack, Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement | Photography: Shooheima Champion, Unisa Multimedia Centre