Cosatu’s opposition to the private sector having a role in the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI) could fundamentally scupper the achievement of universal healthcare coverage in SA. says the Board of Healthcare Funders.
Dr Clarence Mini of the Board of Healthcare Funders of Southern Africa says that the private sector supports the government’s calls for universal healthcare for all South Africans, and has a wealth of expertise, processes and systems that can give the implementation of NHI in South Africa a major boost.
“By far the most compelling reason is that the private sector comprising of medical schemes, administrators, hospitals and medical professionals have the resources that can contribute positively to the improvement of South African healthcare in general and to the improvement of healthcare provisioning in specific communities. It is able to share its skills, experiences, research and resources more meaningfully towards the achievement of affordable, equitable and quality healthcare. Medical schemes and administrators already look after 16% of South Africans and these skills will be of enormous benefit in the public sector which simply does not have this capacity yet. The responsibility of the Minister encompasses the entire healthcare value chain across public and private entities and how these are brought together to ensure the viability and security of quality healthcare provisioning in South Africa,” says Mini…..more