While a key role player in the role player in the South African government remains wedded to the concept of the National Health Insurance (NHI), private sector players are looking for innovative ways to capacitate a sector which has been faced with a variety of scandals.
While the saga around supply-chain corruption at state-owned hospitals is dominating the media headlines, the subject of unemployed doctor’s cuts to the core. According to a variety of data sources, each year there are between 800 and 1500 qualified doctors coming into the market, but unable to find workplace placements.
Problem statement and opportunity:
South Africa’s healthcare system is strained, with a doctor-to-patient ratio of 0.31 per 1,000, well below the WHO’s recommended 1:1,000. Yet, approximately 1,800 qualified junior doctors remain unemployed due to public sector budget constraints and administrative delays, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal (150+ unemployed) and Gauteng.
This crisis exacerbates healthcare inaccessibility, with rural patients (Limpopo, Eastern Cape) facing long clinic waits (5–6 hours) and urban patients needing convenient alternatives. Traditional private practices, costing R1–2 million to establish, are financially unfeasible for new doctors, perpetuating unemployment and inequity.
Corporates, NPOs, and foundations can address this through Enterprise and Supplier Development funding, supporting enterprise development that creates jobs and businesses while earning BBBEE points and improving healthcare access for 60 million South Africans.
A solution:
In partnership with a key industry role player we have an opportunity which transforms unemployed doctors into entrepreneurs by enabling low-cost, sustainable practices through an innovative platform.
For R150,000 per doctor, we provide a turnkey solution:
- Sourcing and Screening (R10,000): We identify and vet HPCSA-registered unemployed doctors (1,800) nationwide, prioritizing Gauteng, KZN, WC), ensuring alignment with our empathetic care model
- Training and Development (R30,000): World-class clinical and business training, including our inflanome-based philosophy (inflammation-focused holistic medicine) and practice management skills.
- Equipping and Setup (R60,000): Full startup support, including iPads, diagnostic equipment, initial medicines, and access to our HPCSA-compliant app ecosystem for bookings, scheduling, and integrated payments.
- Marketing for Patient Acquisition (R50,000): Targeted digital and direct marketing (e.g., Google Ads, social media, local flyers) in doctors’ operating areas (e.g., Johannesburg, Durban, Limpopo) to build a patient base, ensuring immediate revenue through our B2B2C strategy.
This solution attempts to eliminate high start-up costs and risks, leveraging a revenue-sharing model to ensure sustainability for both doctors and the platform
Impact and Benefits of investing in this healthcare ESD opportunity
Funding this project has the potential to deliver high-impact outcomes including
- Job Creation: Each R150,000 creates one job for an unemployed doctor, addressing the 1,800 surplus while filling healthcare gaps
- Enterprise Development: Funds establish sustainable practices, qualifying as ESD under BBBEE codes, with doctors gaining long-term independence.
- Healthcare Access: Marketing (R50,000/doctor) drives patient acquisition (target: 200 patients/doctor in Year 1), serving urban (Gauteng, KZN,WC) and rural (Limpopo, Eastern Cape) communities.
- Economic Multiplier: Each doctor generates R1.92 million/year in revenue post year 1, stimulating local economies through consultations and job creation.
Partner Benefits:
- Corporates: Earn BBBEE points (ESD category) and brand exposure via co-branded marketing and targeted PR campaigns that align with partner funder objectives.
- NPOs/Foundations: Achieve measurable impact (50–100 jobs, 10,000–20,000 patients served in two years)
- Proven Potential backed by technology: The founders of the platform have invested in the setup of a working platform, demonstrating their ability to execute and scale.
The project aims to become South Africa’s leading on-demand healthcare platform, targeting 5,000 active patients by June 2026 and 10,000–20,000 by 2027 through doctor-driven growth.
Alignment with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing – in South Africa
Whether you are a multinational operating in South Africa, or you are a local business looking to break into international markets, there is a growing awareness of the importance of aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Deploying Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) funding into healthcare opportunities allow you achieve this and meet some of the targets including:
- By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births (Target 3.1)
- By 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births (3.2)
- By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases
- By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents (3.6)
- By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes(3.7)
- Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all (3.8)
- By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination (3.9)
Looking for an innovative way to deploy ESD funding into healthcare in South Africa?
If your question is “How can I deploy ESD funding into healthcare in South Africa” – we believe we have a couple of exciting opportunities that are transformative in nature, sustainable in the long-run and help organisations not only meet their B-BBEE goals, but also align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
If you would like to setup a meeting, please do not hesitate to reach out to us to discuss potential opportunities.
