South Africa's government has set out its plans to introduce a universal health care

[herring_RN, ASN, BSN]

[color=#333333]a pilot scheme in 10 areas is to start in april 2012, and will then be phased in nationally over the next 14 years.

[color=#333333]"these first steps towards establishing national health insurance are truly historic," the health minister said.

[color=#333333]analysts say south africa is one of the world's most unequal societies, where quality health care is skewed towards the private sector.

[color=#333333]more than 80% of south africans cannot afford private medical insurance and rely on publicly funded hospitals, which charge a small fee for treatment and are often overstretched...

[color=#333333]...[color=#333333]"private health care professionals are not opposed to the nhi because it will bring more business to them, but they want to see what the paper sets out," dr norman mabasa, president of the south african medical association, told reuters news agency...

[color=#333333]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14504628