By Waaqiah Jaffer
Community members, medical doctors and medical aid schemes took part in the public hearing organised by the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature last month to discuss implications of the National Health Insurance (NHI) bill at the Bantu Hall in Galeshewe.
Gift van Staden. Member of the \Northern Cape legislature and chairperson of the committee overseeing the overview of the National Health Insurance bill, explained that a bill is a proposal for a new law to significantly change an existing law whereas an act is a law made by Parliament.
When this bill is promulgated into in Act the intention is to:
- Achieve universal access to quality healthcare services in the republic.
- Establish a National Health Insurance Fund and set out its powers, functions and governance structures.
- Provide a framework for strategic purchasing of health care services by the fund on behalf of its users.
- Create mechanisms for the equitable, effective and efficient utilisation of the resources of the fund to meet the health needs of the population.
- Preclude or limit undesirable, unethical and unlawful practices relating to the fund and its users.
Dr Alistair Kantani acting Head of the Department of Health in his presentation discussed the purpose and application of the bill, access to healthcare services and the National Health Insurance Fund. Kantani and the audience engaged in a question-and-answer session.
Towards the end of the hearing the chairperson van Staden requested the audience to vote to indicate whether they were for or against the bill. Most of the audience members welcomed the proposed legislation.
Van Staden informed the attendees that all inputs will be submitted to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for discussion and consideration.
Members of the public are encouraged to give written inputs to the Northern Cape Provincial Legislature. Ms. R Mohammed the committee coordinator of this bill can be contacted on rmohammed@ncpleg.gov.za .
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