The NHI Bill: Why it should be rejected
By Zel-Marí Gelderblom
Most South Africans are of the view that the National Health Insurance (NHI) should be opposed, especially doctors, as was recently reported by Netwerk24: “99% of doctors think the state will make a mess of the NHI.”
The NHI bill has already been reviewed since it was published in the Government Gazette on 8 August 2019 and subsequently amended by the National Assembly, and it has been found that it would be detrimental to healthcare provision in South Africa if implemented. So why is the state still trying to push through this damning bill?
Various organisations and individuals have made their position on the NHI clear by emphasising that the bill is unrealistic, a position that has even been acknowledged by the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana. The government simply does not have the financial resources to support the NHI scheme, and there is a shortage of healthcare infrastructure.
The bill currently contains a large number of clauses that give the Minister an overwhelming amount of power to make arbitrary decisions about healthcare. There is also a lack of sufficient detail in the bill, including lack of information on when, how, what it will cost, and who will manage the scheme. Furthermore, it is warned that this could cause an outflow of health professionals from the country and encourage further brain drain.
The political motivation of the bill is another important factor that should not be overlooked. The NHI seems to be more about politics and ideological considerations than actually improving healthcare for the poorest and most vulnerable people. Why not consider an alternative approach such as a combination of public and private healthcare as a more efficient alternative to a government-controlled system? In my opinion, the focus should rather be on the deregulation of the healthcare sector to encourage entrepreneurship and create jobs. Community-based healthcare solutions can have a greater impact on improving healthcare than a centralised decision-making process. Furthermore, it is important for the government to promote economic growth and find effective solutions to existing problems in the healthcare system rather than trying to implement new and unrealistic schemes such as the NHI. The money earmarked for the NHI could be better spent on overhauling and improving existing public hospitals that are currently underperforming.
In conclusion, the NHI bill violates several constitutional rights, including the right to healthcare based on the individual’s right to dignity and freedom of choice. Most research suggests that the NHI is not a good idea and is likely to be a costly failure that will not improve healthcare in South Africa. Therefore, I hope that the National Council of Provinces will reject the bill and thereby protect healthcare. I also encourage citizens to raise their voices against the NHI together with organisations such as AfriForum by clicking here.
Zel-Marí Gelderblom is coordinator of content and media relations at AfriForum and holds a master’s degree (cum laude) in Gender Politics from the Nelson Mandela University.
