President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirms the Government’s commitment to National Health Insurance (NHI) with a renewed focus on collaboration with the private sector, aiming to ensure equitable, accessible, and affordable quality healthcare for all South Africans, while addressing concerns about the Act’s financial sustainability and governance.
In his July 18th parliamentary address, President Cyril Ramaphosa reaffirmed the government’s commitment to implementing NHI in South Africa, while shifting to a more collaborative approach with the private sector. He emphasized the importance of equitable, accessible, and affordable healthcare, highlighting plans to strengthen infrastructure, improve training, and leverage technology.
Acknowledging legal challenges and criticism, Ramaphosa stressed the need for consensus with stakeholders to ensure the NHI Act’s success. He stated.
The resources and capabilities of both the public and private sectors are necessary to meet the healthcare needs of all South Africans equitably”
Cas Coovadia, Chief Executive of Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) welcomed this shift in tone. Coovadia noted that while the NHI Act in its current form poses significant financial and governance risks, the collaborative approach advocated by the President is crucial for advancing the nation’s healthcare objectives and achieving universal health coverage. He emphasized the need for amendments to the Act to ensure it does not harm the economy or undermine investor confidence. BUSA and other stakeholders are pushing for a phased approach to the Act’s implementation, focusing on budget, resources, and capacity.
