VISVIN REDDY | Political motives behind ANC’s push for NHI

The move by the African National Congress (ANC) to push ahead with the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) has raised concerns about its viability and political motives.

The ANC, which is facing a major challenge in the upcoming election, appears to be using the NHI as a means to shore up support from the public. However, the implementation of the NHI is not just a political issue but also one that has real implications for healthcare in SA.

The NHI is a proposed healthcare system that aims to provide universal access to quality healthcare to all citizens, regardless of their income level. It is believed to be the solution to the inequalities that exist in the current healthcare system, where access to quality healthcare is limited to those who can afford it.

The ANC argues that NHI will transform the healthcare system by providing quality healthcare to all citizens and ensure that the poor are no longer excluded from access to healthcare.

However, the implementation of the NHI has been met with resistance and skepticism from various quarters, including healthcare professionals, politicians and the public. One of the main concerns raised is the cost of implementing the NHI. It is estimated that the NHI will cost the government over R250bn annually, which is a significant amount given the current budget constraints faced by the government.

Moreover, the NHI has failed in other countries, notably Zimbabwe, where it was implemented in 1980. The Zimbabwean healthcare system, which was once one of the most advanced in Africa, collapsed under the weight of the NHI.

The system was plagued by corruption, shortages of drugs and medical equipment, and a lack of healthcare professionals. As a result, citizens were forced to seek healthcare outside the country or go without medical care altogether.

SA has its own healthcare challenges, including a shortage of healthcare professionals, a lack of adequate healthcare facilities in rural areas, and widespread corruption within the healthcare system.

Given these challenges, it is unclear whether the country is ready for the implementation of the NHI. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has further exposed the weaknesses in the healthcare system, with reports of shortages of personal protective equipment, oxygen, and hospital beds.

It is clear, therefore, that the ANC’s push for the NHI is not just about improving healthcare but also about political motives. The upcoming elections pose a significant challenge to the ANC, which has been in power for over two decades.

The ANC is seeking to use the NHI as a means to mobilise support from the public, particularly the poor, who make up the majority of the population. By promising access to quality healthcare, the ANC hopes to secure the votes of the poor, who are the most vulnerable and in need of healthcare.

However, this political motive must not be allowed to obscure the real issues at stake, which are the quality of healthcare and the financial implications of the NHI. The government must address the serious concerns raised by healthcare professionals and the public and ensure that the implementation of the NHI is done in a way that is cost-effective and sustainable in the long term.

The ANC’s political motives in pushing for the NHI are understandable, given the upcoming elections, but must not be allowed to overshadow the real issues at stake.

The government must ensure that the NHI is implemented in a sustainable and cost-effective manner that addresses the serious concerns raised by healthcare professionals and the public. It is only by doing so that we can ensure that all citizens, regardless of their income level, have access to quality healthcare.

• Reddy is president of African Democratic Change