The ALP welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the Draft Regulations Relating to the Obtainance (sic) of information and Processes of Determination and Publication of Reference Lists (“draft regulations”). The ALP accepts that there is a need to address inequity in access to private health care services as well as the need to contain and regulate costs in the private sector. For this reason regular and accurate information about health financing, service prices and business practice in the private sector is essential in determining both health policy as well as a fair and reasonable price for services and products. However, if the draft regulations are to give effect to the objective of obtaining such information then we believe that it should be significantly strengthened.
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SECTION27 is a public interest law centre that uses and develops the law to advance human rights.
The ALP welcomes the opportunity to make a submission on the draft Medical Schemes Amendment Bill (“the draft Bill”) in so far as it deals with risk equalisation. We do so against the following background: As a section 21 not-for-profit company and a registered law clinic, the AIDS Law Project (ALP) seeks to develop, implement and use laws and policies to protect and advance the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. In so doing, it aims to ensure arights-based response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic that it believes is best suited to reducing new HIV infections and minimising the negative social impact of AIDS. Part of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg from 1993 until 2006, the ALP – as an independent organisation – is now formerly associated with the Wits School of Law. We welcome the opportunity to comment on the draft NSP 5-year plan. Although we are aware that the Chief Director: HIV/AIDS and STDs has requested only short inputs (“not essays”) the complexity of the plan, and its importance to South Africa, has required the detailed response below. In addition, whilst working on this submission a further draft (dated 14 November 2006) has been made available. However, most of the points we deal with below remain relevant. The call for public submissions makes it plain that Parliament’s review of the Act will focus on the impact of the statute on women and persons with disabilities. Oursubmission deals squarely with two issues: the proposed express inclusion of HIV/AIDS status as a prohibited ground of unfair discrimination; and access to legal services necessary for the proper implementation of the Act. The AIDS Law Project (“the ALP”) and the Treatment Action Campaign (“the TAC”) welcome the release of the Strategic Framework for the Human Resources for Health Plan (“the Strategic Framework”) for public comment and discussion. We further welcome the express acknowledgement therein by the Department of Health (“the DoH”e need for appropriate human resources for health (HRH) planning and recognise the substantial work that has gone into the development of the Strategic Framework. The AIDS Law Project (ALP) welcomes this opportunity to make written submissionson the Health Professions Amendment Bill [B 10 - 2006] (“the Bill”). As an organisation that has consistently sought to ensure that the Health Professions Council (“the Council”) holds health professionals to account, we welcome the Bill and the many positive contributions we believe it will make in advancing and safeguarding the public interest. 
Since October 2005 the TAC and the AIDS Law Project (ALP) have assisted HIV positive inmates at Westville Prison in acquiring ARVs that have routinely been refused to them by prison authorities. Situated in Kwazulu Natal, one of the provinces most severely affected by HIV/AIDS, Westville had steadfastly prevented TAC or other NGOs from conducting treatment workshops, treatment literacy programs, or any form of HIV awareness training. The AIDS Law Project (“the ALP”) takes this opportunity to thank you and the Innovation Fund’s Intellectual Property Management Office for facilitating and hosting the provincial consultation workshop held in Cape Town on 30 March 2006. My colleague Fatima Hassan and I found the event to be extremely useful in understanding the context within which the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) from Publicly Financed Research Framework (“the policy framework”) is situated. In addition, it provided us with an opportunity to float, consider and refine our formal submissions on the policy framework. |
 
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Understanding NHI