Business Unity South Africa and President Cyril Ramaphosa met this week to discuss the NHI Act and its shortcomings. File Picture: Armand Hough / Independent Newspapers
Business Unity South Africa (Busa) and President Cyril Ramaphosa met this week to discuss the business organisation's major concerns over the controversial National Health Insurance (NHI) Act.
According to the Presidency, the meeting also included the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and the Deputy Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla.
“Business and government expressed a shared commitment to the underlying objectives of the NHI, namely to achieve universal health coverage for all South Africans and address inequality in the health system,” the Presidency said.
The president has requested that Busa submit specific proposals on the remaining issues of concern as a basis for further engagement.
“Government remains committed to engaging with all stakeholders in good faith on the process of healthcare reform, and to finding workable solutions that will advance quality and affordable healthcare for all,” the Presidency said.
The NHI Act was signed into law in May this year and the president called it a “milestone in South Africa's ongoing quest for a more just society”.
“This transformational health care initiative furthers our constitutional commitment to progressively realise access to health care services for all its citizens. At its essence, the NHI is a commitment to eradicate the stark inequalities that have long determined who receives adequate healthcare and who suffers from neglect,” Ramaphosa said.
Two weeks ago, Busa called for an “urgent amendment“ to the NHI Act, as it was unacceptable in its current form.
The organisation said it was disappointed that despite commitments by the government to engage in the NHI Act, structured discussions had not yet taken place.
Busa CEO, Cas Coovadia said the organisation was deeply concerned about the inappropriate rhetoric directed at those who have raised legitimate concerns regarding the NHI Act, in its current form.
“Raising these concerns is not only appropriate but in fact, the responsible and necessary course of action to ensure that the path that we choose as a country is both viable and sustainable,” he added.
“We have also been extremely clear in our position that the NHI, as is envisioned in the Act, is unaffordable, unimplementable and unconstitutional, and therefore requires urgent amendment,” Coovadia explained.
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