The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), together with the Presidency of South Africa’s Presidential Youth Employment Intervention are, from today, hosting a summit aimed at addressing South Africa’s most pressing health and development challenges.
Deputy Minister in the Presidency, Nonceba Mhlauli, is expected to deliver the opening remarks at the summit.
Over the next three days, the Outcome Finance Alliance (OFA) summit will bring together global and local partners to “design and test strategies to make pay-for-success financing instruments a cost-effective and scalable proposition to support development agencies and governments to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals”.
“As South Africa continues to confront high rates of HIV infection, teenage pregnancy, and broader health system pressures, innovative approaches to both service delivery and financing are becoming increasingly critical.
“Outcomes-Based Finance, which links funding directly to measurable results, is emerging as a practical tool to improve accountability, unlock new investment, and ensure that limited resources deliver real impact.
“The SAMRC looks forward to sharing key learnings and challenges, with the aim of identifying pathways to unlock further public–private partnerships that can accelerate the impact and institutionalisation of OBF,” the SAMRC said in a statement.
At the centre of the council’s contribution will be its work in the Social Impact Bonds (SIBs), a model described as enabling “private and philanthropic investors to fund health interventions upfront, with government or donors repaying only when agreed outcomes are achieved”.
“The SAMRC’s first SIB was implemented through the Imagine Programme, a comprehensive intervention targeting adolescent girls and young women in high schools in Moretele and Newcastle, areas with high HIV prevalence and teenage pregnancy rates.
“Launched in 2023, the programme delivers integrated sexual and reproductive health services directly within schools, including access to contraception, HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), pregnancy care, and referrals for further treatment, including ongoing support for those on antiretroviral therapy.
“The programme also provides psychosocial support in safe spaces on the school grounds, helping to reduce stigma and improve overall well-being,” the statement read.
Executive Programme Manager for Social Impact Bonds at the SAMRC, Dr Nevilene Slingers added: “This model fundamentally changes how we fund health interventions.
“By linking funding to verified outcomes, we are able to strengthen accountability, support innovation, and ensure that resources are directed toward interventions that make a measurable difference within health”.
The OFA will provide an opportunity to “deepen collaboration, share lessons, and accelerate the adoption of financing models that prioritise impact”.
“As fiscal pressures continue to mount, these approaches offer a pathway to strengthen health systems while ensuring that investment translates into meaningful and measurable outcomes for communities,” the statement concluded. – SAnews.gov.za
