Public service teams with proven solutions that improve healthcare in South Africa are being encouraged to submit their entries for the 2026/27 Gems Health Award. The award, sponsored by the Government Employees Medical Scheme (Gems), recognizes innovation, service excellence, and transformative leadership across the public sector. Minister of Public Service and Administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, emphasized that the best solutions often come from those closest to the problem.
The Gems Health Award is part of the 2026/7 National Batho Pele Service and Innovation Awards, a joint initiative of the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and the Centre for Public Service Innovation. The award aims to find and reward innovative solutions that improve healthcare, with funding supporting the further development and replication of health innovations. Dr. Vuyo Gqola, Gems' Chief Operations Officer, stated that the award is an investment in advancing proven innovations to benefit more patients and communities.
The call for entries is directed at public service teams whose implemented projects address healthcare challenges and demonstrate measurable improvements for patients or staff. Eligible teams include those in clinics, hospitals, district offices, and health units that have implemented solutions using resources effectively and could be replicated elsewhere. The 2025 Gems Health Award Gold winner, Transforming Oral Health Services in the Knysna and Bitou Sub-district, is a notable example of a successful project.
The 2025 Gold winner brought dental care closer to rural communities in the Western Cape by repurposing unused dental chairs into mobile units serving five clinics. As a result, waiting times fell from six months to two weeks, while treatment capacity increased by 30%. The 2025 Silver winner, Greytown Hospital's Remote Learning Channel for Pharmacy Assistants and Ward-Based Nurses, used WhatsApp, short videos, and visual posters to bring training directly to healthcare workers.
This project supported better medicine management, reduced expiry-related wastage, and safer patient care. These projects demonstrate how practical changes in everyday service delivery can benefit communities and provide models for other facilities. Public service teams with proven solutions that deliver similar impact are encouraged to enter for the 2026/27 Gems Health Award.
To enter, teams should visit the National Batho Pele Service and Innovation Awards entry portal, select 'Public Sector Innovation Awards', and submit their entry in the relevant category. There is no separate application for the GEMS Health Award, as all health-related finalists will be automatically considered for the award. The closing date for entries is October 30.
The 2026/27 National Batho Pele Service and Innovation Awards ceremony will take place in February next year. The award offers a platform for public service teams to showcase their innovative solutions and make a meaningful impact on healthcare in South Africa. By recognizing and rewarding these innovations, the award aims to promote a culture of service excellence and transformative leadership across the public sector.
Key points
- Public service teams with proven healthcare solutions can enter the 2026/27 Gems Health Award by October 30.
- The award recognizes innovation, service excellence, and transformative leadership across the public sector.
- The 2025 Gems Health Award winners included projects that improved oral health services and pharmacy training.
