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News24 reports that the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) plan won't be rushed as the government needs an estimated R200 billion to fix dilapidated hospitals – money which won't be available in the short or medium term.
This was indicated by Health Minister Joe Phaahla, who reiterated that the NHI would be implemented in phases. Phaahla was responding to a written parliamentary question and said: "The Department [of Health] is not implementing the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill in a rushed manner." He indicated that his department was following the provisions outlined in the approved 2017 NHI White Paper that provided for the NHI to be implemented in a phased manner. "Section 309 of the White Paper provides for health systems strengthening initiatives to continue being undertaken concurrently as the finalisation of the legislative process and the establishment of institutional arrangements for the NHI Fund are undertaken," Phaahla pointed out. The NHI emerged as an ANC conference resolution more than a decade ago. But while there is a bill in Parliament, the Treasury has yet to provide details on how the NHI will be financed. Phaahla also admitted to the enormous infrastructure challenges faced by hospitals across the country. Since 2020, Treasury has been shifting funds allocated to the NHI to other uses, citing slow spending. In the February budget of 2022, the NHI was hardly mentioned.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Jason Felix at News24
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