Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It is the most common motor disability in childhood. The impact of this disibality on an individual can range from issues with balance to being permanently wheel chair bound with the inability to conduct any controllable muscle functions.

According to a report on children with disabilities by the Uhambo Foundation, South Africa has an abnormally high prevalence of cerebral palsy among children – with as many as 10 cases per 1,000 births. Yet, most of these children (and later as adults) cannot obtain the necessary treatment even where medical aid can be afforded. This is because public hospitals lack resources and cerebral palsy is not recognised as a prescribed mimumum benefit (PMB) condition by the Council for Medical Schemes in South Africa. 

PMB's is a list of minimum benefits that all medical schemes should cover, irrespective of the benefit options of a selected policy. The relevant legislation provides a list of conditions recognised as PMB's. This list includes many conditions with similar quality of life impacts to the impacts on individuals with cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy was previously included in this list, but was removed in a recent revision. The disability has not changed and the reason for its removal from the list is, therefore, not clear.

The exclusion of cerebral palsy as a PMB condition significantly reduces the quality of life for some of the most vulnerable individuals in South Africa. It places financial burdens on parents who in most cases cannot afford the appropriate and intensive treatment and care that this disability requires. With appropriate care the negative impact of cerebral palsy on an individual can be significantly reduced. 

We urge you to stand up for those who cannot.