The chief executive and registrar of the Council for Medical Schemes, Dr Humphrey Zokufa, died on Sunday, January 22, after a short illness, the CMS has announced. Zokufa was appointed to the position on November 1 last year. No stranger to the healthcare industry, Zokufa served in numerous roles in the public and private health
sectors, including registrar for the Medicine Control Council, where he played a key role in the establishment of the Medicine
Pricing Committee."Dr Zokufa related well to people and although it was for only a very short period, the impact of his leadership was visible
immediately, especially his care for the CMS staff. His energy and passion for an optimal and effective regulatory framework in
the private healthcare industry was also clear. He was firm in his belief that National Health Insurance (NHI) is not a pipe
dream and his dedication, commitment and vision to lead the private healthcare sector into participating in the NHI was his top
priority," the CMS says in its release.
According to the release, the chairperson of the council, Professor Yosuf Veriava, has extended his condolences to Zokufa's family and expressed his confidence in the management and staff of CMS, indicating that Daniel Lehutjo, the council's chief financial officer, would step in as acting chief executive.