Ramaphosa makes NHI top priority

President Cyril Ramaphosa has put the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme at the top of his list of priorities, telling the health-care industry on Friday that his office would be taking the reins of NHI.

“Leadership is what matters, and that is why I have decided that I am going to provide leadership on NHI. We are going to lead it and we are going to be talking about it all the time because it is important [and] in my view, it is achievable,” Ramaphosa said.

The plan is to implement NHI incrementally from next year, he said. Full implementation has previously been earmarked for 2026.

Ramaphosa was speaking at a consultative meeting in Pretoria with health sector stakeholders, including medical aid schemes, NGOs, policymakers and health sector decisionmakers.

For decades SA has had what Ramaphosa described as a two-tiered healthcare system where most of the country’s population, which lives in poverty, only has access to public health care, which is characterised by poor infrastructure, a lack of facilities and a skills shortage.

The private sector, on the other hand, offers those with more money access to high-quality care.

“We must put behind us the era of quality healthcare being the exclusive reserve for those with deep pockets,” he said.

Ramaphosa said the NHI would be a success but not without all the role players focusing their minds and resources.

Asked about the president taking control of his flagship project, health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he had requested Ramaphosa’s involvement in NHI to give it the priority it deserves.

“Universal health coverage has become a global movement similar to the right to access to ARVs by people living with HIV and Aids,” Motsoaledi said. – BDlive