Business Unity South Africa (Busa) has objected to the emphasis placed on NHI in the second presidential health compact due to be signed today, saying it cannot pledge support for a policy it opposes, and which it believes is unaffordable and unworkable.
Business Day reports that a draft document circulated last week explicitly supports NHI and its enabling legislation, which Busa says will damage SA’s health system and investor confidence.
“The draft … does not take into account what we have said, and promotes the NHI in its current form at a time when we are still in discussion and engagement about our displeasure (with it). It was never our intention that the NHI should be part of the health compact,” Busa CEO Cas Coovadia said on Tuesday.
“The intention was to collaborate on looking at how we can improve the public health sector. There are serious differences between us and government on whether NHI in its current form is an appropriate legislative instrument. If you want a compact everyone will sign, then have a compact on which everyone agrees.” ….more
