The South African Health Department is standing firm in its commitment to promoting the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, even as voices arise, urging a reallocation of funds to address other pressing health needs.
Deputy Minister of Health Joe Phaahla has emphasised that the government’s strategy surrounding NHI education is not simply a binary choice of either funding allocation or prioritisation of other health initiatives.
During a budget presentation to the Health Portfolio Committee, Phaahla outlined that the current opposition to NHI is multifaceted, involving not merely legal challenges but also a broader effort to win the hearts and minds of South Africans.
“The pushback on NHI implementation is not only in courts, but is a battle of the hearts and minds of South Africans. It is important as much as possible in terms of how we assist South Africans to get a fair amount of information. It is neither this nor that,” Phaahla said.
He made the statement when the department presented its budget during the meeting of the Health Portfolio Committee on Thursday.
The NHI took centre stage during the meeting, with DA MP Michele Clarke noting that Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi still planned to spend another R10m on NHI advertising.
Clarke was of the view the funding could be used toward the treatment of HIV in the wake of the recent withdrawal of US aid funding.
In its presentation, the department said there were processes under way in preparation for the NHI Fund.
This included the essential equipment list that was to be finalised.
“This is focusing on primary care level as well as accreditation level to be used to accredit service providers that are to participate in NHI,” the department’s head of planning unit, Koketso Sebanyoni, said.
Sebanyoni also said that as part of NHI preparations, they would track the number of patients actively receiving medication.
“We hope this number can increase to 3.5 million in this financial year.”
She added that work was being done on developing the integrated electronic health record system.
“We envisage we will finalise the second phase on the primary care package,” Sebanyoni said.
The department said out of its R64.6 billion budget, NHI will be allocated R1.4bn.
There was R2.4 billion allocated in the NHI indirect grant for health facilities revitalisation and R7.2bn for the NHI conditional grant.
There was also R466m allocation for the contracting of additional health professionals.
MPs wanted an update on the appointment of the NHI board and the funding mechanism for the NHI and overburdening of the country’s health care system by illegal foreigners, among other things.
The department was receiving comments from stakeholders on the regulations that were published in March on the proposed governance regulations of the NHI Fund.
“We are in the process of collating information in relation to comments from stakeholders. There will be a process to evaluate the comments and suggestions in terms of amending the Act and implementing possible changes on the regulations published for comment.”
The department’s Aquina Thulare said the NHI would be implemented in phases and that the NHI Act indicated how the insurance was to be funded.
“At the right time, a money bill will be published indicating where funding will come from. In line with progressive implementation, at the right time, those sections of the NHI that deal with funding will be promulgated in line with regulations. At this point, we are not yet at the stage to publish the money bill to respond to questions raised,” Thulare added.
