25 000 healthcare workers plead with the President to send the NHI Bill back to Parliament…

Close to over 25,000 healthcare workers, allied health specialists, and GPs are appealing to President Cyril Ramaphosa to refer the National Health Insurance (NH) Bill back to Parliament. South African Health Professionals Collaboration (SAHPC) spokesperson Dr Caroline Corbett says they would like it to go back for discussion and active engagement with all the role players. In addition, the Constitutional Court should be approached and it should be investigated awhether or not the Bill in its current form infringes on the constitutional rights of communities and citizens nationally. “…we’re absolutely not going to stop and sit and watch this quietly be signed off,” Dr Corbett tells BizNews - after the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) passed the Bill this week. A major concern is that the Bill “doesn't actually guarantee quality healthcare”. The SAHPC also has “massive concerns” around the governance of the fund in a country where corruption “is rife still, unchecked still, and unprosecuted in most instances”. Meanwhile, the exodus of healthcare workers continues. “This for many people is the final straw. They're not actually prepared to wait and see the impact of it attempting to be rolled out.” - Chris Steyn