Media Statement: There is Turning back on the NHI

Jan 8, 2020 | Press Release

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As SANAC CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM (CSF) we are NHI and NHI is us. NHI is the correct choice to deliver Universal Health Coverage for South Africa. We fully support the efforts by the Minister of Health, Dr. Zweli Mkhize and the Department of Health to ensure ongoing dialogues and engagements with various stakeholders about the NHI.

We will continue to engage with the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee of Health in the public hearings they are conducting about the NHI Bill.

We note with dismay that some amongst civil society are in bed with big business interests because they have sold their souls in the quest to rubbish the NHI. These so called comrades have abandoned their defense of the interests of the public for a price of silver. These comrades enjoy the privileges that come with having medical aid and funds they receive for their organisations. They have conveniently joined the bandwagon of propagating lies about the NHI for their selfish interests.

We must continue to deal with these charlatans, but most importantly we must ensure that civil society is uncaptured by capital. Our singular role is to keep communities informed about the benefits of NHI as the correct path towards realising Universal Health Coverage.

We are already seeing progress based on the Presidential Health Compact and other measures introduced to improve the health system even before NHI is implemented. We want this progress to be a permanent change to the health system that benefits all South Africans.

The NHI should and cannot serve the needs of medical service providers and the selfish interests of capital, the NHI is fundamentally about better health outcomes being enjoyed by the users of the health system and the users are citizen who happen to be patients. As CSF and as the voice of civil society, we are an interested party in a successful NHI and we will up our voices so that those hellbent of scaremongering can be defeated.

#CSFNHI YONK’INDAWO and #Asijiki

For media enquiries, contact:
Mabalane Mfundisi
CSF Convener of Health System Strengthening
073 481 3939