In a recent media statement the Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize, welcomed the current debate on the introduction of National Health insurance (NHI). “We will be noting all the views and comments made by all citizens as a healthy contribution in reshaping the system that is being introduced to serve all South Africans and ensure Universal Health coverage for ALL South Africans”, he said.
He further reiterated that NHI will benefit all and ensure equitable access to health services, by promoting pooling of resources and ensure social solidarity in which there is cross subsidisation of the sick by the healthy, the poorer by the richer and the older by the younger. This, according to her, is in line with global trend in both developed and underdeveloped economies.
Pam Saxby, of Legalbrief’s Policy Watch recently noted that the Health Minister gave these assurances and dismissed allegations that NHI will lead to the ‘nationalisation of health care’.
Saxby further reported on the media statement as follows:
“Responding to concerns expressed by DA leader Mmusi Maimane about the constitutionality of the NHI Bill tabled in Parliament last week, the media statement confirmed that provincial ‘powers and roles’ in the context of NHI health services management will be ‘the subject of discussions’ with national government, guided by section 146 of the Constitution. ‘Changing legislation is not unconstitutional,’ the statement noted, adding that the Constitution provides for laws to ‘evolve’ in keeping with ‘the needs of the country’ at any given time.
According to the statement, the NHI fund to be established by the Bill will be ‘a Schedule 3 state entity’ with more ‘limited’ powers than entities ‘such as Eskom’. It will receive funds from the Fiscus and, as a Schedule 3 entity, will not be permitted ‘to take risks and participate in speculative and unsecured borrowing and lending’. ‘Acutely aware (of) and sensitive to the issue of corruption and inefficiency,’ the Minister is committed to uprooting both before they happen, and through ‘swift consequence management’ should they occur.”
Click here to download the media statement.
