The SACP is part of the #FriendsOfNHI and will continue pushing for the successful introduction of the National Health Insurance in the interest of quality healthcare for all
8 August 2019
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the introduction of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill to parliament today – a milestone development that paves the way for unifying our health system and guarantees universal and comprehensive quality health coverage for the entire population.
South Africa has available financial and other resources enough to provide good quality health care for all, yet the healthcare outcomes in terms of the burden of diseases and mortality rates among others have been disappointing. The major root of the problem lies in our fragmented, therefore wasteful, and unequal two-tier health system, particularly in healthcare funding and access to healthcare provision.
Founded on the core principles of universality and social solidarity, the NHI Bill makes an important and bold advance to ensure that access to good health care is based on need rather than ability to pay, thereby removing financial barriers to good healthcare. It means our people, irrespective of their income, will not need to worry about paying when they want to visit a medical practitioner. It means it will not be necessary for them to see a bill when they are admitted to a health facility.
We know very well that some in our society are opposed to this NHI Bill and have nothing to offer except to maintain the two-tiered health care system.
We welcome the fact that many organisations have expressed support for the NHI - FRIENDS OF THE NHI. As the SACP, together with our allies, we will continue to be at the forefront of the struggle for the realisation of quality healthcare for all, through the NHI.
The status quo is unacceptable. Underpinning it are the ideas pushed by right-wing think tanks and political representatives of capitalist private wealth accumulation bosses. Among others, they want more expansion of market-driven, that is profit-driven, healthcare financing dominated by medical schemes which cover a small proportion of our entire population. Such ideas will exacerbate inequalities and fragmentation in access to quality care and move the country further away from universal health coverage.
The SACP will follow through the process of the NHI Bill and make such other inputs to strengthen it in case it becomes necessary during public consultation.
Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, National Spokesperson & Head of Communications, SACP, 8 August 2019
