A pioneering public-private healthcare partnership in KwaZulu-Natal, initiated by Dr Michiel Ter Haar, is emerging as a significant solution to South Africa’s overburdened public medical system. By tapping into unused private sector resources, the collaboration between Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and Busamed Hospital in Hillcrest has sharply reduced orthopaedic surgical backlogs, cut procedure costs by about 65%, and improved patient outcomes. The weekend-based model uses Busamed’s theatres when private elective lists are quiet. Patients are transported from the public hospital on Fridays, undergo hip or knee replacement surgery performed collaboratively by public and private surgeons and remain at the private facility for two to three days of physiotherapy and recovery before returning to the state system for follow-up.
This cost-efficient model—R58,000 per surgery compared with the private rate of R165,000—has enabled 102 joint replacements in 13 months. Its success has sparked national interest, with plans to expand to more provinces, additional surgical disciplines, and a broader funding base involving medical aids and pharmaceutical companies. – Financial Mail (20 Nov 2025)