Digitalisation in the Health Sector: A South African Public Law Perspective

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2022/v25i0a12979

Keywords:

digital health, privacy protection, regulation, risk, surveillance, technology, South Africa

Abstract

The landscape of the health sector in South Africa as seen from a regulatory perspective is rapidly changing under the disruptive impact of digitalisation. Drawing on a paradigm of "strong rights" protection, particularly a robust privacy law fit for the digital age and sourced in the nation's Constitution, the operationalisation and application of health privacy regulation in post-apartheid society is briefly described. The note then enumerates and assesses a number of specific digital health technologies currently in use in interventions in South Africa. To do so, we adopt the international World Health Organisation (WHO) classification of digital health interventions. We also cover the recent South African response to the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the establishment in South Africa of the COVID-19 Tracing Database and subsequent technological interventions aimed at enhancing contact tracing and other responses to the pandemic. The establishment of the initial database was a development at the interface of the law enforcement and health sectors, which raised concerns regarding its risks to privacy, but it also raised hopes regarding its potential rewards in protecting public health.

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Author Biography

  • Jonathan Klaaren, University of the Witwatersrand

    Professor of Law

    Faculty of Law

References

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Published

17-11-2021

Issue

Section

Notes

How to Cite

Cachalia, F., & Klaaren, J. (2021). Digitalisation in the Health Sector: A South African Public Law Perspective: . Potchefstroom Electronic Law Journal, 25, (Published 17 November 2022) pp 1 - 24. https://doi.org/10.17159/1727-3781/2022/v25i0a12979

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