AfriForum puts the president on terms regarding impending National Health Insurance

The civil rights organisation AfriForum today placed President Cyril Ramaphosa on terms regarding the ANC-dominated parliamentary portfolio committee for health’s announcement that they intend to have the National Health Insurance Bill approved by parliament by 6 December 2022. The organisation stands at the ready to approach the courts if National Health Insurance (NHI) is implemented and is prepared to fight the battle for quality healthcare all the way to the highest court.

“The government wants the sole right and power to decide on health care for everyone in the country. This means that the same government that leaves you in the dark because they ran Eskom into the ground will decide about you and your family’s health care. This will mean that no one will have proper access to doctors, medicines, hospital beds and other essential medical services. Furthermore, your taxes will also be increased significantly to finance this scheme. It will amount to billions. This while you, as a taxpayer, are already contributing to the current public health care system which is managed so badly,” says Reiner Duvenage, Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content at AfriForum.

AfriForum participated in the legislation process from the outset and argues that NHI is unaffordable and will be susceptible to the same mismanagement and corruption seen in other state-owned entities.

“The fund is going to be by far the largest fund under state management and control, which gives the ANC the opportunity to further waste and steal your tax money. Just look at the state of government hospitals. The state has already proven that it does not have the capacity to effectively manage public health. The government’s intentions to push through national health insurance are nothing more than a desperate attempt to rally support among the same people who suffer from their failures and do not have access to quality health care,” concludes Duvenage.