The GP Care Cell (GPCC) is an innovative public–private healthcare delivery model designed to expand access to HIV services through private general practitioners. The initiative was developed by the Foundation for Professional Development in collaboration with the National Department of Health and private healthcare partners.
The model was first piloted in 2018 in Tshwane District and aimed to demonstrate how private healthcare providers can support national HIV programmes by delivering subsidised services to uninsured patients. The programme aligns with South Africa’s broader efforts to strengthen collaboration between the public and private health sectors.
Programme Model
The GPCC model contracts private general practitioners and community pharmacies to provide HIV testing, treatment initiation, and ongoing patient management within their practices.
Participating providers operate within structured networks that include:
- Clinical governance and treatment protocols
- Medicine and diagnostic supply systems
- Monitoring and reporting aligned with national HIV programmes
- Centralised network coordination and quality assurance.
This model enables patients to access HIV services in private healthcare settings while remaining integrated with public health systems.
Programme Implementation
Following its initial pilot, the GPCC programme expanded across several districts in Gauteng Province, including:
- Tshwane
- Ekurhuleni
- Johannesburg
- Sedibeng.
The programme established a network of private healthcare providers delivering HIV services to communities that may face barriers accessing care through public facilities.
Key Achievements
The GPCC programme achieved significant results during its implementation period:
- 51 general practitioners and 9 community pharmacies contracted in the network
- 27,896 people tested for HIV
- 2,848 patients initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Under the expanded programme model, branded Your Care Network, the initiative recorded:
- 66,535 HIV tests conducted
- 2,745 ART initiations
- 93.3% viral suppression among patients receiving treatment.
These outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of engaging private healthcare providers to support national HIV responses.
Innovation
The GPCC programme also served as a platform for testing innovative service delivery approaches. One example was a pilot project providing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to men through private general practitioner practices.
The pilot demonstrated that some populations prefer accessing HIV prevention services through private providers, highlighting the importance of diverse service delivery models.
Contribution to Health System Strengthening
The GPCC initiative demonstrated how private healthcare providers can contribute to public health goals through structured partnerships with government and donor programmes.
The model provides an example of how contracting private providers can help expand access to healthcare services while maintaining strong clinical governance and integration with national health systems.