South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says it’s only a matter of time before he signs a National Health Insurance bill into law.
The contentious bill, approved by MPs last year, seeks to give universal health coverage to all South Africans.
Speaking to journalists in Cape Town on Thursday, Ramaphosa did not provide any further information about when this would occur.
Political parties and other stakeholders strongly oppose the NHI bill and have promised to sue the government if it is passed into law.
They claim it will lead to disinvestment in the healthcare sector, where private and public systems coexist, and harm South Africa’s already vulnerable economy.
There are also concerns that the bill’s implementation will be hampered by pervasive corruption and budget constraints, which have left the government struggling to fund essential services.
Doctors from the South African Medical Association say they don’t believe the bill will achieve its goals.
The health sector in SA has been abuzz about the #NHI Bill, and of late SAMA's petition to the #NCOP has been making headlines. Signed by more than 52 000 individuals, it asks NCOP to vote against the Bill in its current form. Courtesy of @IOL, more here:https://t.co/shjntWmpgA
— SAMA (@SAMedicalAssoc) July 27, 2023
Two business organisations, Business Unity South Africa and Business for South Africa, say that while they support the goal of universal health care, they are concerned about the bill’s “design and implementation”.
They have requested that it be returned to Parliament for modifications.
The NHI bill, which will be implemented gradually at a cost of billions of dollars, is popular among voters as the country prepares for a difficult election year.
