The Hospital Association of South Africa elected a new Board at its Annual General Meeting earlier this month, in Johannesburg.André Joseph from Life Healthcare replaces Dr Biren Valodia from Mediclinic Southern Africa who ended a three-year stint as Chairman. Dr Valodia was re-elected as one of three Board members representing Mediclinic Southern Africa. Neil Nair, the Chief Executive Officer of the largest private independent hospital group in the country, the National Hospital Network, continues as Deputy Chairman. Mr Tienie van der Berg continues as Treasurer.The Board has been expanded from 11 members to 16 members. The Association's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dumisani Bomela, says: "The Association is being called on to play an important role as government leads healthcare reform in the years ahead. This resizing of the HASA Board therefore is a proactive measure to both strengthen the Board with additional and necessary skills, and to add capacity to ensure the Board can respond to the growing demands placed on it.

The step makes HASA well-situated to contribute to the ongoing building of a strong and accessible healthcare system for all South Africans."Outgoing Chairman of the Board, Dr Valodia, under whose leadership the Association played a key role in responding to the Covid pandemic, including the rollout of vaccinations, paid tribute to the previous Board saying their efforts ensured the organisation demonstrated its worth in the healthcare system when it supported the private hospital sector as it provided treatment of tens of thousands of South Africans suffering from the virus.

In particular, Dr Valodia pointed to the invaluable and wide-ranging  insights and perspectives of independent and Black-owned facilities that was provided by Neil Nair, the HASA Deputy Chairman, and that helped inform the Board’s wider and broader thinking regarding policy and related matters.Incoming Chairman, André Joseph, paid tribute to his predecessors in the position and noted that their leadership had placed the Association in a strong position to contribute to policy debates, to meet the demands placed on healthcare by the pandemic, and to help build a strong healthcare system."Under Melanie Da Costa, HASA developed a strong National Health Insurance and policy research capability that enabled us to make a contribution to health policy Green and White Papers, and to share ideas and learning and insights in numerous forums, including NEDLAC, the Presidential Health Summit, and the Public-Private Growth Initiative.

Under Dr Valodia, we built the strong and collaborative relationships necessary to work together with business and government at all levels to overcome the real health threats and challenges presented by the pandemic. All our thanks go to them and the Boards they led for their invaluable and selfless contribution of time and effort."The full list of newly-elected Hospital Association of South Africa Board members is:

Chair: Mr André Joseph (Life Healthcare)

Vice-Chair: Mr Neil Nair (National Hospital Network)

Dr Biren Valodia (Immediate Past Chair) (Mediclinic Southern Africa)

Ms Gale Shabangu (Mediclinic Southern Africa)

Ms Clara Findlay (Mediclinic Southern Africa)

Ms Melanie Da Costa (Netcare)

Dr Nceba Ndzwayiba (Netcare)

Dr Shannon Nell (Netcare) NEW

Dr Paul Soko (Life Healthcare)

Ms Nomfundu Mabaso (Life Healthcare) NEW

Mr Otto Wypkema (National Hospital Network)

Dr Annelize de Villiers (National Hospital Network) NEW

Mr Amil Devchand (Lenmed)

Dr Ramesh Bhoola (Joint Medical Holdings) NEW 

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