Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has named the 10 districts in the country that have been identified for the pilot of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, which will be phased in from 1 April 2012.

According to a report by BuaNews Online, the government's communication and information system, activities of the NHI pilot programme will focus on key elements such as district health services, service delivery, strengthening of health systems and health financing. The districts are: Vhembe (Limpopo), OR Tambo (Eastern Cape), Gert Sibande (Mpumalanga), Pixley ka Seme (Northern Cape), Eden (Western Cape), Dr K Kaunda (North West), Thabo Mofutsanyane (Free State) and Tshwane (Gauteng).

Motsoaledi said the NHI pilot programme would focus on the most vulnerable sections of society across the country, "reduce high maternal and child mortality through district-based health interventions, and strengthen the performance of the public health system in readiness for the full roll-out of (the) NHI".

The pilot programme will further assess whether the health service package, primary health care (PHC) teams and strengthened referral system will improve access to quality health services, particularly in rural and previously disadvantaged areas of the country.

The objectives of the pilot programme include testing the ability of the districts to assume greater responsibilities under the NHI, to assess utilisation patterns and costs and affordability of implementing a PHC service package.

On financing the pilot, Motsoaledi said it was part of the ongoing engagement between the department and the national treasury, which had allocated R1 billion for the project. He added that the department was ready for the roll-out of the pilot and would be visiting all the identified districts. He will also hold a meeting with the medical practitioners from the districts, asking them to assist in the clinics for a few hours, where they will be getting paid for services rendered.

"We want to see the presence of doctors in the clinics in the furthest rural areas of the country," he added.