THE health sector charter on black economic empowerment (BEE) has come a long way since Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang released a draft last year calling for 51% of private healthcare assets to be in black hands by 2014.

THE private hospital industry's efforts to bring hospital inflation to within the Reserve Bank's target range of 3%-6% have paid off.

According to a study by independent economist Mike Schüssler, commissioned by the Hospital Association of S A (Hasa), the industry achieved an inflation rate of 5,2% for the 2005 financial year.