UCT to host valedictory lecture on the National Health Insurance
09 November 2017 | 14h00-15h30 | Wolfson Pavilion Lecture Theatre, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, UCT

The University of Cape Town’s Faculty of Health Sciences will host a valedictory lecture focusing on the National Health Insurance (NHI) in South Africa next month.

In her valedictory lecture, titled ‘A universal health system for SA: some final words on NHI’, Professor Di McIntyre’s will reflect on her decades-long work on the NHI and illustrate her vision on how universal health system should look like and what changes need to happen for better outcomes.

Prof John Ataguba from the Health Economics Unit (HEU) says about the lecture: “Professor McIntyre will debunk the myths about the NHI – what it is and what it is not.”

Professor McIntyre has worked at UCT for over 20 years, starting as a lecturer in 1988 and progressing via ad hominem promotions to professor in 2008. She founded the HEU in 1990 and served as director for 13 years. She holds the South African Research Chair in Health and Wealth.

During her career, Prof McIntyre mentored several African health economists. At her inaugural lecture in 2008, she took a critical look at the current health system and the challenges facing it. She was also part of the ministerial task team that looked at the NHI. In 2015, she was appointed as the Executive Director of International Health Economics Association (iHEA).

When the Department of Health created National Health Insurance Work Streams with the mandate to review the NHI implementation, Prof McIntyre was involved with three of the seven work streams. She has consistently argued for an increase in spending on the public health sector.

Remarking on the retirement of a prominent and highly respected health economist who has served on ministerial advisory committees for many years and contributed to national health debates and policy development, Prof Ataguba said: “She is a very dedicated and hard-working person who brings out the best in people whenever she has the opportunity.”