Large-scale rejection of Presidential Health Compact shows SA does not buy into NHI – AfriForum

21 August 2024 

The overwhelming lack of support for the proposed Presidential Health Compact should, according to the civil rights organisation AfriForum, make it clear to the government that South Africans do not want National Health Insurance (NHI) to be implemented. On Thursday (22 August), President Cyril Ramaphosa will oversee the signing of this controversial compact, of which at least 12 of the 16 articles contained in it focus on the implementation of NHI.

According to indications, only 13 role players will sign the compact – three of whom are also government representatives. This number of signatories stands in stark contrast to the previous Presidential Health Compact entered into in 2018, which was put together by hundreds of organisations and in which minimal references were made to NHI. The previous health compact was developed by no fewer than 363 health, consumer and civil society organisations, research councils, trade unions and government departments as part of what was billed at the time as “the largest health consultative meeting” ever convened to collaborate on the development of a plan to repair the “crisis” in the health system in South Africa.

During last year’s second Presidential Health Summit, the compact was again scrutinised and adjusted several times. In the meantime, several organisations have withdrawn their support for it – to such an extent that it is clear that the majority of civil organisations, health associations and businesses are firmly against it.

Louis Boshoff, Campaign Officer at AfriForum, argues that there is not much left of the objectives of the original compact, namely to serve as a recovery plan for the “crisis” in the South African health industry. “The compact has now been completely politicised to promote the ANC’s goal of implementing NHI at all costs,” emphasises Boshoff. 

“However, the cracks in the NHI plan are showing and the mere fact that at least 350 fewer role players in the industry want to be associated with the compact confirms the fact that the reality of NHI has now become too unattractive for the vast majority of medical professionals, role players and the public. The compact now seems more like an official declaration of the lack of support for NHI,” concludes Boshoff.

AfriForum still maintains that implementing NHI will have catastrophic consequences for the already shaky South African health industry and is therefore still working on its legal action to stop this destructive policy.

Issued by Louis Boshoff, Campaign Officer, AfriForum, 21 August 2024