‘End of health apartheid’: Ramaphosa defends NHI

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has compared the signing of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law as the equivalent of ending apartheid in the South African healthcare sector.

He said the current system, where the wealthy had access to superior private health care, was a form of apartheid.

The president made the remarks while addressing ANC members during a rally held in Isipingo, south of Durban yesterday as hundreds of ANC supporters were bused in from the surrounding areas.

The president wrapped up his three-day campaign activities in the province. He also visited Pietermaritzburg this past weekend.

The ANC has been campaigning intensely in KwaZulu-Natal, with the party facing strong competition for votes from the new Jacob Zuma-led MK Party.

Last week, the ANC brought in political heavyweight former president Thabo Mbeki to campaign in an effort to counter the impact of the MKP.

Mbeki suspended his campaign shortly after he campaigned in the province, leading to speculation about the reasons.

In his address, Ramaphosa rehashed some of the promises his administration had made while on the campaign trail, including what the ANC’s manifesto promised to deliver should the party be elected back into power on May 29.

He touched on the issue of NHI. Ramaphosa on Wednesday last week signed into law the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill.

He said it it presents an innovative approach to funding universal health care based on social solidarity.

However, the backlash started almost immediately after the bill was signed, with trade union Solidarity saying it had started legal action against NHI, saying the NHI was irrational and unaffordable.

DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said universal health care is a necessity, but the NHI in its current form lacks the necessary investment to provide accessible and quality health care as mandated by the Constitution.

The president said yesterday that it was important to sign the bill into law and to end the segregation in the provision of quality health care.