SAEPA and iKhambi Care Join Forces

Both government and business are aware that making health care affordable for low income earners is of paramount importance to the country's prosperity. iKhambi Care offers a solution in the provision of affordable and sustainable high quality health care for those people with a low income, through the establishment of profitable, high quality primary health care centres in every high and medium density population throughout South Africa. By keeping prices low, providing high quality care, and empowering people in all aspects of their mental and physical health, iKhambi Care envisions a revolution in the health care industry and a positive way forward.

The South African Express Parcel Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to represent the interests of the express parcel transport industry by communicating positions to legislative and regulatory officials; to provide a forum for the exchange of information about trends and developments within the industry; and to promote the use of express delivery services.

SAEPA and iKhambi Care Heath Care Solutions will provide the Wellness Express programme to all members. The programme focuses upon providing basic health care (primary health and occupational health) at a very low monthly fee. Membership is also open to family members at an additional monthly fee per person. The programme is not a medical aid but a primary health care service which includes treatment for most types of ordinary illnesses, and also HIV (ARV's), hypertension, and diabetes.

Members will utilise the iKhambi Care Health Centres which will be situated in major centres (initially Kempton Park, Centurion, Cape Town and Durban with further expansion throughout 2009). These health centres will be staffed by professional health care providers, will offer fast turn-around times and will provide free medications (as per the government's Essential Primary Health Care Medication List) on diagnosis as part of the process.

The Wellness Express programme and others offered by iKhambi Care recognizes the call for (Low Income Medical Services) LIMS initiative by Government. By rendering such services in a primary health care environment, first line diagnoses and treatment of illnesses will be attended to with a positive impact on hospitalization institutions catering for low income groups within the country.

In a population of 48 million people, only 7 million people (1.49 million employed people and their dependents) are covered by a medical aid scheme. i.e., less than 15% of citizens are covered by one of the 160 medical aid schemes. Therefore, the provision of LIMS to employed people (plus dependents), is a huge step forward in the provision of health care in South Africa.

The South African Government has committed to a strategy of shifting the responsibility to the private sector regarding health care for the workforce, but still rendering the secondary care (hospitalization phase) and tertiary care (Rehabilitation) services to all levels of society when needed and thus this SAEPA initiative is an historic step forward in addressing some of the country's fundamental health care challenges.

For more information, please contact David Patient or Burlett Grobler on 011 397-3885