East Cape ready to roll out phase two of National Health Insurance – MEC

THE Eastern Cape is ready for phase two of the National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot project, according to Health MEC Phumza Dyantyi.

Speaking at a media briefing ahead of the state of the province address on Friday, Dyantyi said she was surprised that people failed to see improvements in the pilot sites, OR Tambo and Alfred Nzo.

“The Eastern Cape and the Western Cape have been identified as the provinces that are ready for the rollout of phase two, and that speaks to the progress we have made in the NHI pilot programme,” the MEC said.

While Dyantyi said she would go into the details of phase two at a policy conference later this year, she conceded that the department was not where it should be.

Clinics in the province are underresourced and overburdened, with hospitals facing similar problems.

“We started earnestly in addressing the shortage of technical staff, because that’s where we need it the most,” Dyantyi said.

The NHI, set up to be rolled out over 14 years, is described by the national Department of Health as a financing system that will ensure that all South Africans have access to healthcare, regardless of their employment status or their ability to contribute to the scheme.

The insurance scheme will allow members of the public who do not have medical aid to visit selected private doctors for medical care. The government will foot the bill. Consultations and medical treatment at specific public hospitals in each district will also be free.

Only residents registered with the Department of Home Affairs will be eligible for NHI membership, and members of the scheme will be issued with a card.

Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle said the pilot programme enabled the province to be more advanced than other parts of the country.

A survey will be done, with 400 000 households to be visited to assess the health status of individuals.

“We look to focus on the improvement of quality of health care services, dealing with issues like waiting times, ensuring [sufficient] personnel and various other support measures,” Masualle said.