Minister determined healthcare will be affordable for all groups
Health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the exorbitant costs of private healthcare in South Africa were crippling public healthcare services in the country.
Motsoaledi was speaking at a public lecture held at the University of Fort Hare in East London on Friday.
He said private healthcare was something only the rich could access.
South Africans were paying too much money simply to stay alive, he asserted, adding that 90% of healthcare systems in the country were not designed to take care of the poor.
South Africa spends 8.7% of its GDP on health, which was divided unequally, with 4.5% going to 16% of the employed population, while 4.2% catered for 84% of the population.
Motsoaledi vouched for the National Health Insurance’s (NHI) ability to uplift health standards for SA’s poorest.
The NHI would not abolish private healthcare but would bring the price of it to a level where it could be afforded by all, he said.
“People tell me to go fix the public healthcare system.
“Let me tell you, if we had a way of fixing the public healthcare system without universal health coverage, then we wouldn’t need NHI.
“If we are to solve the healthcare problems of the country, everyone must have access to an equal standard of care, regardless of their income.”
The minister called private healthcare a form of “state capture” by wealthy individuals.
“There is no other country in the world that has such gross inequality in the health sector.
“It is unacceptable. There’s no Zondo commission into private healthcare because no one sees anything wrong with it.
“Healthcare is a right, and private hospitals provide health. Seeing that these hospitals are on the JSE, how many people are able to afford it?”
He promised the NHI would stabilise the costs of healthcare delivery across private and public sectors and give every person the chance to afford the quality care they deserved.
“The NHI will be way cheaper than the current costs of private healthcare.”
He said members of the public had until September 21 to comment on the two proposed NHI bills.