The FF Plus is becoming increasingly concerned about the premature announcements regarding the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) made by the Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, and other officials of the Department of Health.
The FF Plus is of the view that these announcements are derailing the processes of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Health.
It may result in the entire public participation process being a futile exercise.
Earlier this week during a Momentum Health Solutions meeting, which took place on virtual platforms, the Minister announced that the NHI will be implemented step by step.
The Committee is, however, still busy discussing the Bill in detail and then the comments submitted by members of the public and other interested parties must also be taken into consideration.
After that, the Bill will be tabled in the National Assembly (NA) for debate and voting.
If the Bill is adopted, it must then also be tabled in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) for further public participation seeing as the NHI is classified as Section-76 legislation.
There is obviously a long road ahead before the Bill can be placed on the statute book, and the required processes must not be disregarded.
The ministry and the Department's officials have, however, been making premature announcements about the NHI ever since August 2021.
The FF Plus has continually rejected the NHI. It simply cannot be implemented without the necessary infrastructure and administrative capacity.
Premature implementation without the necessary support systems in place will lead to even more chaos and disorder in already chaotic state hospitals.
The FF Plus is growing tired of these constant misleading announcements, and the party will not allow the Minister, any official or the ANC to steamroller the process to pass legislation that aims to nationalise South Africa's private healthcare and will destroy the entire healthcare system even further.
The time is here to overthrow the ANC government so that state hospitals and clinics can once again offer exceptional quality healthcare to patients.
The people of South Africa deserve better than the ANC.
;
