One of the biggest challenges for the department was an increase in demand for services. The number of patients using public health facilities was growing at about 3% a year .

Botha said his department was investigating ways to generate revenue, such as voluntary “health levies” paid by the private sector that would see them getting more public-sector patients (whose bills are paid by the state) in return. The province was seeking consultants to explore revenue generation through bed, consultation and prescription levies, and medical tourism, he said.

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