NUMSA RESPONSE TO ECONEX RESEARCH ON NHI

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) notes the dastardly research commissioned by Econex on the envisaged National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme by ANC-led Alliance government (see Business Day report).

The Econex research suggests that the NHI plans are infeasible. We view this as part of a broader ploy by health profiteers to undermine the progressive health reforms that are being introduced by government on behalf of the workers and the poor. This shows that health profiteers are hell-bent on maintaining and perpetuating the old apartheid and racialised health-care inequalities in our country.

The ANC-led Alliance government has a revolutionary responsibility to implement the NHI scheme consistent with both its electoral commitments and mandate, as opposed to appeasing the health profiteers and the market. To the millions of workers and the poor, the NHI scheme is a realization of the noble goals of the Freedom Charter which called for a "A preventive health scheme shall be run by the state; Free medical care and hospitalisation shall be provided for all, with special care for mothers and young children".

This calls on the ANC-led Alliance to move with speed in releasing the NHI Policy for public comments and participation. The health profiteers and the market fundamentalist cannot be allowed to dictate policies for the ANC ruling government in pursuance of their self-centered accumulation interests and profit maximization.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, February 15 2010

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