(Consideration of National Health Insurance Bill in the NCOP)
The viability of the National Health Insurance (NHI) under ANC rule is, like President Cyril Ramaphosa’s dream of “smart cities” and electric vehicles in South Africa, nothing but wishful thinking.
The ANC is under a grand illusion and is trying to sell the fable of the NHI to voters, while it is a system that cannot even work in a modern, first-world country such as the United Kingdom.
The delusional objective of the NHI is to grant all citizens equal access to medical treatment. It may happen, but keep in mind that such “equal” access will mean little to no medical treatment.
Everyone in South Africa will be at the mercy of the nightmare to which South African state hospitals have declined.
The damning report released by the FF Plus a few weeks ago detailing the atrocities in state hospitals clearly proves that government is unable to ensure the wellbeing of its people.
The situation is so critical that state healthcare institutions are at risk of losing all effective medical facilities within the next five years.
Government is unable to provide proper basic medical care to patients in state hospitals due to mismanagement, corruption and its failure to put the people’s needs before the ANC’s ideological, socialist and communist ideals.
Over the past few months, the FF Plus has pointed out all the pitfalls, flaws and constitutional shortcomings of the Bill.
It is evident that the ANC is using the NHI as a populist election instrument which will not only be a waste of billions of rand, but will also cost many people their lives.
Clearly, the objective is to establish a state monopoly in the health sector with a body tasked with investigating complaints against itself.
It simultaneously raises serious questions about the powers, rights and responsibilities of medical schemes.
If persons who currently belong to medical schemes are forced to receive treatment through the NHI, the burden on government will be much greater. And it is already unable to bear the healthcare burden.
Still, the ANC is determined to push through this legislation despite the many valid grievances voiced by opposition parties, civil rights organisations and the public. The NHI does not comply with the rule of law.
Adopting the Bill will bring about serious challenges and consequences for government. It will jeopardise the rights of the country’s citizens seeing as every ill person will be at the mercy of the ANC’s incompetence.
The current state of affairs in the country – from its crumbling roads to the collapse of Eskom – signals how serious and extensive the NHI nightmare will be.
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