Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Tuesday launch the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum (HSACF), a collaboration aimed at preventing, detecting and prosecuting fraud and corruption in the industry, his office said on Monday.
The forum was established after the signing of a compact last year which mandated the government and social partners to work together in reforming South Africa's healthcare system.
"The health sector - public and private - is vulnerable to fraud and corruption because of large and varied numbers of transactions on goods and services in terms of fraudulent orders, tender irregularities, fiscal dumping by government departments through non-governmental organisations, bribery, over-pricing, poor governance, transfer of liabilities to the state, and bogus and fraudulent qualifications," the presidency said in a statement.
Last year's agreement stipulated that a whistle-blowing policy be developed to ensure the ease of reporting to relevant authorities and that political interference should also be considered as a corrupt activity.
"As South Africa prepares to implement universal health coverage through the National Health Insurance Bill, proactive measures through the Health Sector Anti-Corruption Forum will serve as a deterrent to ensure the appropriate standards of governance and accountability," said the presidency.