Investing in resilient recovery: a vision for 21st-century rehabilitation

As the complexities of global healthcare evolve, the need for collaborative, values-driven investment in health systems has never been more urgent. Rand Mutual Assurance’s (RMA) recent completion of the Welkom Sub-Acute Rehabilitation Hospital upgrade offers more than a modern facility; it stands as a bold statement of intent on how the private sector can participate responsibly as a vehicle for driving universal healthcare coverage by addressing the disparities in access to quality healthcare. 

While general health inequities in South Africa are well documented and mirror the persistent income inequalities of the most unequal society in the world, in some instances these may even be more severe.  Bridging these inequity gaps demands multilateral thinking that transcends siloed programme implementation and sees rehabilitation as a core component of healthcare essential to completing the healing journey. RMA’s approach exemplifies how a private occupational healthcare insurer can work hand-in-hand with regulators, multi-disciplinary clinical teams and local stakeholders to construct a shared vision for rehabilitation and wellness.

Established in 2016 to provide basic wound care for injured workers and assisted living for disabled ex-miners (RMA pensioners), the Welkom Sub-Acute Hospital has undergone a major upgrade. It now features: 

• Specialist wound management and vocational rehabilitation units
• Assisted living units for ex-workers injured and/or disabled in the line of duty 
• A multidisciplinary clinical team of occupational therapists, physiotherapists, sessional medical officers and urologists,
• 24-hour nursing support and dedicated case management, and
• An in-house orthotics and prosthetics centre developed via a joint venture.

These enhancements speak to RMA’s core values of serving with care and compassion and its aspirations of being a pioneering Social Insurer. Patients benefit from seamless care journeys that prioritise functional recovery and long-term wellness. More broadly, the facility serves as a tangible blueprint for what future-focused healthcare investment can achieve in injury and disability management by integrating wound care, rehabilitation, custodial care and vocational reskilling infrastructure, all under one roof.  

Innovation, too, must be inclusive. RMA’s willingness to integrate independent joint-venture partners in key clinical areas, such as orthotics and prosthetics, demonstrates how ethical investment can fuel niche specialisations previously inaccessible in under-resourced regions. As the private and public sectors increasingly intersect, providers who prioritise equitable collaboration will shape the standards for occupational health, post-acute care and sustainable rehabilitation pathways.

The Welkom upgrade also delivered tangible socio-economic benefits. Construction created temporary jobs for local labourers, artisans and suppliers. As the hospital transitions to full operation, it will sustain roles in clinical services, administration, facilities management and auxiliary support; all drawing from the surrounding community.

Crucially, the project demonstrates that ethical healthcare investments need not be confined to metropolitan hubs. In a world where access to healthcare and especially rehabilitation services is driven primarily by affordability more than by need, RMA raises the banner of corporate citizenship by investing in a community that mainstream healthcare providers might otherwise overlook by focusing instead on where the health insured population resides. This is much to the detriment of health equity goals. By situating a cutting-edge sub-acute hospital in Welkom, Free State, RMA has catalysed a ripple effect, attracting specialised talent, strengthening referral networks and inspiring similar initiatives in other underserved areas. This industry influence signals a turning point where sub-acute care is no longer an afterthought but a strategic pillar of resilient health systems.

Looking ahead, RMA remains committed to scaling these principles, thus advocating for policy frameworks that foster public-private collaboration, driving research into cutting-edge rehabilitation modalities and championing community-centred care models. In doing so, it positions itself as a social insurer shaping  a more equitable, resilient future for South Africa and beyond.

*** Written by Dr Tryphine Zulu, Head of Healthcare, Rand Mutual Assurance