Critics will do everything to stop the bill on INSA, says Ministry of Health

"We do not doubt that the enemies of NHI will do their utmost to prevent this from becoming a reality, otherwise they will try to cast doubt on the integrity of the process," according to the release of the ministry released this afternoon. (November 28)

"We want to rebadure the country that no law has been violated, nor any illegality or irregularity committed in the way the legislative process for the realization of the INSA is conducted between the Ministry of Health, its officials, the Treasury, the presidency. and the rest of the government. "

This follows a week of media reports of apparent violations of the protocol in the development of the latest version of the bill, which was submitted yesterday to the Cabinet Subcommittee on Social Development.

Last week, Ismail Momoniat, acting director general of the Treasury, wrote to INSA's presidential adviser, Dr. Olive Shisana, to the media. Momoniat indicated that the Treasury could not support the latest version of the bill, which was "substantially amended in October", removing various agreements reached between the Ministers of Finance and Health.

After the release of the leaked letter, the Treasury said "we have reached agreement on most of the major issues" and "we are confident that we will soon publish this important bill for tabling in Parliament".

However, on Monday, civil society organizations said the three-month comment period on the bill had been too short and called on the cabinet to "send the bill back on health insurance to the NHI." and to require an appropriate and thorough consultation process. " review of options available to improve access and quality of health care services in the country.

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), SECTION 27, Rural Health Promotion Project (RHAP), the People's Health Movement (MPS) and Human Rights Lawyers (LHR) also stated that the current bill "could undermine the functional elements of the health system – public and private" and that "the government must focus on the resolution of crises in public and private health rather than on the adoption in a hurry to legislation that, in its current state, is pointing the country in the wrong direction. "

But the Ministry of Health said the Minister of Health had already explained that "any outstanding issues that could not be raised by public participation during this three-month period will still be resolved when Parliament holds public hearings throughout the country. Such public hearings are always coming. "

He also explained that the presidency led the NHI at the request of the Minister of Health, because "the NHI is a huge seismic event that will require the advice of the head of state".

"NHI is not just an ordinary government program. This is a flagship program of the state that aims to fulfill our constitutional mandate of health, which is a right of all citizens, regardless of their status in life, "said the ministry.

"Since the United Nations has adopted the concept of Universal Health Cover (UHC) as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in the world, in all major world democracies, Heads of State have badumed the responsibility of to be the main advocates and drivers of society. process leading to the achievement of universal health coverage which in our country is NHI. It will be careless for our presidency to stay out of such a global business. "