The state should assert decisive control of all health care facilities, including private health care facilities, needed to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic –
Statement by the Dr Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary following a meeting of the National Office Bearers of the Party in Ekurhuleni on Monday, 23 March 2020.
Last week Sunday, 15 March 2020, the SACP called upon the private health care sector to not place profit before human life by demanding payments. The private health care sector should participate in the national effort on humanitarian grounds and accordingly form part of Covid-19 tracking efforts, make available facilities, test suspected cases and treat those affected, appealed the Party.
It is however now very clear that the private health care sector is aloof from health care as a constitutional right of every person, rather than a commodity destined for profit sale. It is extremely cruel and immoral to place profits above human lives given the global public health emergency and state of national disaster caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under a successfully introduced National Health Insurance (NHI), health care will be available to all regardless of their ability to pay. The state of national disaster caused by the global public health emergency and spread of Covid-19 calls for implementation of the key NHI principles right now!
In order to win the war against the Covid-19 pandemic and protect the majority of our people, the SACP is therefore calling upon government to assert decisive public control of private hospitals and other private health care facilities as required by the circumstances.