JOHANNESBURG, June 18 (Xinhua) -- South Africa is making progress to achieve the universal health coverage in the country, an official said Monday.

Deputy Director General of the National Department of Health, Anban Pillay, said the treasury will have a fund to ensure there is equal access to quality healthcare in both public and private sector.

Speaking at the Board of Health Funders (BHF) Southern Africa Conference in Rustenburg, Pillay said they also want to correct the situation where people are not being treated on time.

There will be centralized chronic medicines dispensing and distribution to decongest public health facilities of chronic stable patients, according to Pillay.

Benjamin Musembi Nganda, health economist at The World Health Organization (WHO), said there is a need to ensure that both rural and urban areas receive same medical treatment.

"You have to build synergy between the public and private to reduce fragmentation, minimize waste and improve on the effectiveness of the system," said Nganda.

South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi will address the media about the National Health Insurance (NHI) bill on Thursday.