The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness has launched the country’s first rewards programme for citizens who make use of public healthcare.
South Africans will be familiar with rewards programmes run by private medical schemes, like Discovery’s Vitality, but this is the first in the public sector.
Starting as a long-term pilot in Westridge, Mitchells Plain, WOWRewards will test whether small rewards can help people build healthier habits and access preventative care earlier and more consistently.
The pilot is open to residents of Mitchells Plain who make use of public healthcare facilities and are 18 and older.
The Department plans to expand the programme to Knysna in early 2027. The aim is to enrol up to 2 000 active participants across the two locations to test its operation in both metro and rural settings.
Stephen Grootes talks to Dr Saadiq Kariem, Chief Operating Officer of the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness.
Dr Kariem explains that participants will be able to earn up to R100 worth of rewards in the form of food vouchers every month for completing approved activities relevant to their circumstances.
“The R100 comes in the form of a voucher, redeemable at certain stores. We’ve partnered with a group that has about 3,000 stores countrywide, where people can redeem the vouchers for food.”
The Department’s research with a sample group of their target market showed that people wanted healthy food vouchers and also access to fitness activities, he says.
“Our target market won’t necessarily have access to the big gyms, for example. But people would have access to community walking groups of which there are quite a number in and around Cape Town.”
The activities that earn rewards include:
- Booking antenatal care before 20 weeks of pregnancy and attending scheduled visits
- Taking part in approved community exercise sessions and recognised parkrun events
- Participating in weight monitoring
- Keeping children’s routine immunisations up to date
- Collecting scheduled chronic medication parcels on time
- Completing short learning modules on pregnancy and caring for a newborn
Dr Kariem refers to the behavioral economics concept of nudge theory, which he describes as trying to subtly influence people’s choices towards what is beneficial to them without necessarily restricting their freedom.
“It’s those small changes that are not coercive, not punitive. I think that is key. So, we’re hoping to utilise this and improve positive behaviour change over time.”
For more detail, listen to the interview in the audio clip at the top of the article
Paula Luckhoff
www.ewn.co.za