National health insurance bill
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA: The NHI is a fight for social justice
With the public hearings on the National Health Insurance Bill drawing to a close, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appealed to South Africans to get behind the...
The committee is currently conducting public hearings on the NHI Bill at the Dlamini multi-purpose hall in Soweto for its final leg of submissions.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on health has been travelling across the country since the NHI Bill was passed in Parliament last year.
Some concerns about the NHI Bill include whether or not the central fund it provides for will become just another looting ground for corrupt officials.
The issue came up during a joint programme committee meeting on Thursday to finalise the parliamentary programme before the national legislature breaks for the year.
It's also brought 87,000 submissions and objections from South Africans who made comments through the party’s own petition.
The hearings got under way in the Northern Cape.
The DA said in its hurried attempt to implement NHI, government stalled the process of accrediting new and current nurse training institutions, which would be critical to the rollout of the NHI.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize will start his tour with a visit to Pholosong Hospital in Brakpan and Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg.
Health committee chairperson Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said the public participation process has now been publicised through advertisements on various media platforms.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize released the bill, which is aimed at ensuring universal health coverage for all South Africans.
The president was asked about what he found to be the state of readiness of the country to implement NHI.
The Health Minister sent the Bill to parliament this month. It seeks to equalise the levels of care that South Africans can access whether they are well off or poor.
The NHI Bill was meant to help equalise health care and guarantee access to the best kind of care to everyone in the country whether they are well off or poor.
Last week, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize released the NHI Bill that sets out to provide access to healthcare to all South Africans, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize yesterday released the bill, which is aimed at ensuring universal health coverage for all South Africans.
The Health Minister was speaking in Pretoria where he officially released the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill.
Cabinet approved the NHI bill last month, which paved the way for lawmakers to begin the process of legislating the universal healthcare coverage.
Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu said the Bill would give effect to the government’s plan for universal healthcare services for all South Africans, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances.