By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla has decribed the adoption of National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill as historic and part of the transformative of the healthcare system
This follows the passing of the NHI Bill by the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Wednesday (6 December).
Phaahla said that the department will continue to engage with stakeholders, continually assess and evaluate the scheme and regulations, and – most importantly – won’t rush through the implementation of the complex and highly controversial system.
These assurances stand counter to the feedback from healthcare professionals, hospitals, legal experts, analysts and private businesses, who feel that the bill was passed in haste.
The South African Health Professionals Collaboration called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to refer the NHI Bill back to Parliament for reconsideration. The collaboration represents more than 25,000 private and public healthcare workers from nine medical, dental, and allied associations.
The Hospital Association of South Africa expressed disappointment. “We urge the Presidency to recognise the compelling inputs into the National Health Insurance Bill made by us and many others in healthcare and to address the issues raised by the private sector,” it said in a statement.
The DA said it would petition Ramaphosa not to sign the Bill into law, failing which it would try to mobilise a third of the 400 MPs to support legislators going to the Constitutional Court for a decision on the Bill’s validity.
Petitions to Ramaphosa will also come from organised business groupings Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and Business for South Africa (B4SA), given their lobbying.
However, the health minister feels that more than enough was done.
“We recognise and appreciate the role that proactive stakeholder engagement plays in the implementation of such an important policy and legislative reform,” Phaahla said.
“That is why we have developed and adopted a comprehensive approach to stakeholder engagement to ensure diverse perspectives are considered as we move on. Continued collaboration with all stakeholders, transparent communication, and a phased approach to implementation are crucial components of our strategy.”
As we reflect on the positive outcome of the NCOP vote, it is important for us to remember the significant strides we have made in advancing the necessary policy and legislative frameworks to support the implementation of NHI. There have been positive and negative experiences we have encountered in our taxing journey for us to reach this point.
“As we move forward, we remain steadfast with the implementation of NHI, guided by constitutional values and the principles of social justice and the right to health,” Phaahla said.
Phaahla said that the next step of the process is for Ramaphosa to sign and promulgate the bill and make it an Act of Parliament.