It is with great pleasure that I announce that people with disability can from today, 1 July 2003, access health care service in our public health facilities free of charge.This is part of government efforts to expand services to our people in need of social support as announced by the President during the State of the Nation address in February this year.

Disability is a substantial contributor to poverty. As government we are determined to address the challenges facing people with disability within our broader programmes of poverty eradication, social support and economic opportunities for the poor.

The category of people that will benefit includes:

1. People with permanent, moderate or severe disability.
   This includes amongst others people who move with difficulty and cannot continuously walk between 10 to 200 metres on their own; those who cannot take care of themselves like being able to dress or eat on their own; and those with communication problems, vision and hearing difficulties.
2. People that have been diagnosed with chronic irreversible psychiatric disability. These patients will qualify irrespective of the fluctuation in their mental status.
3. Frail older people and long term institutionalised state subsidised patients.

A standardised assessment tool has been developed and will be used in all provinces to classify beneficiaries.

Individuals with temporary disabilities or a chronic illness that does not cause substantial loss of functional ability and disabled people who are employed and/or covered by relevant health insurance, Road Accident Fund and Workman's Compensation will NOT be entitled to this free service

Qualifying people with disability will get all in and outpatient hospital services free of charge. Specialist medical interventions for prevention, cure, correction or rehabilitation of a disability will be provided subject to motivation from treating specialist and approval by a committee appointed by the head of health.

All assistive devices for prevention of complications, cure or rehabilitation of a disability will be provided. This includes orthotics and prosthetics, wheelchairs and walking aids, hearing aids, spectacles and intra ocular lenses. The Department will also be responsible for maintenance and replacement of these devices.

There is presently still a backlog in the supply of wheelchairs and hearing aids. The National Department of Health aims to spend R30 million to ensure that people currently on the waiting lists get these devices over the next year from now. The provincial Departments will be responsible for replacement of devices and for assisting those newly disabled.

The Department of Health has successfully provided free health services to pregnant women and children under the age of six since 1994 and primary health care services are available to all South Africans free of charge.

The addition of free health care for people with disability is yet another major initiative we are undertaking to improve the health status of our people, especially the poor and vulnerable sections of our population.

I encourage people with disability to visit their nearest public hospitals and make use of these services.

Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
Minister of Health
Contact: Sibani Mngadi @ 0827720161

01 July 2003