NHI plans 'delayed'

Private health, whilst not serving the majority of the country, does serve many of those who are responsible for keeping SA's economy running, notably the taxpaying middle class, professionals, and (surprise surprise) members of Parliament.

Simple economics dictates that if implementation of NHI includes incorporating private healthcare into government's control, private medicine will collapse in under 6 months, as healthcare workers & their staff & suppliers can be guaranteed that they will NOT be paid in reasonable time, a sure fire way to destroy any business.
Ask any health care worker owed money by Workman's Compensation : payment is only made in 60 days at best ; one is lucky to receive 50 % of the fees due in less than two years, and legal action is invariably necessary to recover the outstanding debt.
It is possible that health care professionals will emigrate en masse, to countries where they can earn a living, albeit not better, but at least sustainable. Others in the business sector, without prompt access to reasonable healthcare, will surely follow.
Dont believe me ? Here's a snapshot of the current situation :

Damning report on Gauteng health

BILLIONS blown without records, contracts handed out without tenders, bills not paid, and failure to spend properly on emergency services and HIV/AIDS. The auditor-general's report on the Gauteng Department of Health for 2008/09 reveals a department with no financial controls. Last night the department was unable to say whether anyone would face prosecution in connection with the massive financial mismanagement. Those who were responsible for the department during the 2008/09 financial year were: former health MEC Brian Hlongwa, now Gauteng ANC Chief Whip, who had political responsibility; department head Sybil Ngcobo, who is serving out her notice after resigning last month and who was legally the department's chief accounting officer; and former acting chief financial officer Fanuel Meso, reportedly fired in June. The auditor-general issued an audit disclaimer on the department, saying the record-keeping was too bad for an opinion. Department officials could not even get the annual report done on time. The audit report reveals: there weren't enough records for staff payments of R7 billion; there was unauthorised spending of R1bn; there were not enough records to justify expenditure of R970.9 million; there was irregular expenditure of R1.95m, and another R2.2m in wasteful expenditure when a Public Works contractor did shoddy work; the department failed to mention irregular expenditure of R11.4m, apparently for contracts; thirteen contracts totalling R38.9m did not go through competitive bidding processes; assets of R93.4m could not be physically verified; the Emergency Medical Services budget was underspent by R49.7m; the HIV/AIDS conditional grant was underspent by R68.2m; the hospital revitalisation grant was underspent by R35.6m; nurses were overpaid Occupational Specific Dispensation by R8m; bills of R636.5m were outstanding for more than 30 days; and, officials ignored Treasury regulations and the Public Financial Management Act.

Louise Flanagan: The Star, 6 October 2009

Hopefully this will be delayed indefinately.

The actual Health system must be fix starting with the basics.The nursing care,hygiene,caring for the needs of the patient.The matrons must check that is done in a daily basis.The managers must know what are they there for, to provide the equipment,medicines and all necessary for a good care.They must use the money wisely and in what is important to give the care of the patient.All health staff must be paid well and remind that they are there to give the best service for the patient.Until this is not resolve is not use to have a NHI.

What was wrong with the previous administration health system, run using the means test [ salary] and of course without the corruption running rife? When all the people in this country are working and contributing then start talking about implementing such a scheme? And don't come looking to business and the current tax payers to foot the bill. The mentality that the minority will pay for the majority must disappear - its madness and deserves to be treated as such!!!

NHI = Africanisation of the private health sector. The NHI will only degrade private hospitals to the meagre level of state owned hospitals.

this is such a poorly researched story with stupid errors. since when is the HSRC no longer the human sciences research council. just because they left their mandate in pursuit of HIV and AIDS money they are legally still not mandated to conduct health research, thats the job of the MRC. but in the current circus in South Africa where the we have become the land of the blind, the one eyed man (or woman) is now king. thats why you have a committe with no public health expertise deciding in an NHI, such third world mentality indeed.

Hopefully the ANC is starting to see that the first goal is to stop the rot of current services - only then can you start to build new better ones.

It is madness to start everything from scratch - it's like buying a new car every time it runs out of petrol...

Thank goodness. Hope it never materializes.

The stuff horror movies are made from ... government responsible for providing health care to 50 million people. More multi million rand packages for pals ... who of course wouldn't know a wart from a bedpan.

You think a 500% increase in the price of electricity is something to worry about - LOL wait for NHI!!

We can build five new billion Rand soccer stadiums in a heartbeat; We can order ten new million Rand cars in an afternoon (and have them fitted with tinted windows and blue lights the next morning); We can give millions to FIFA; We can book ten first-class seats to anywhere in the world today; We can throw a frighteningly expensive party for friends on taxpayers money tonight; We can do ANYTHING. --------- Except deliver what we promised to people so they would vote for us. No worries, we'll just lie to them again in five years time. They're suckers.

pete ess: Yeah, just throw some food parcels and yellow tshirts with the current chiefs face on it, and the people on the ground will forget the promises of universal healthcare, or jobs, or service delivery.

Siyabonga Somandla, sanity has prevailed.

Our doctors will leave in droves if this ludicrous bill is passed. besides which, where will Manto get her next liver transplant if the private hospitals are reduced to same crappy levels as Govt hospitals?

I think the NHI concept is a very noble idea and I wish it were possible to implement, because all SA citizens should be taken care of. But when I see the complete and utter rot, incompetence, corruption and mismanagement in the current administration, the only result will be making available even more funds for looting. This idea can only result in a first class private health sector, and believe me our private health sector is among the best in the world, being destroyed. Then we will all suffer. We need sound and accountable administration in this country before considering NHI, and at the moment I absolutely do not trust those in power.

R2 D2: That is EXACTLY how I feel. Im for NHI, IF I knew, that the top dawgs, wouldnt just use it to enrich themselves.

JZ 's presidency is turning out to be a disaster as thought. I think it would the right time for him to bring out his machine gun.

MAX, Oh Oh, now youv'e gone and done it. You have alerted the pale liberals in SA to what thier future holds if we persist with this. Soon you will be on the vile racist list, just because you hold a view and a concern that does not allow for any of our darker brethren along with thier more lighter complection lackeys the opportnity based on the dacts you have so correctly stated to blame the 300 years of oppression for this disaster.


Sinu, hahahaaha (Sinudeity @gmail.com on November 10, 2009, 10:02 )

Pete ess,(pete ess on November 10, 2009, 9:16 am )right on dude, that's what is comonly known as politics.

Gordon Smith on November 10, 2009, 4:12 pm , Gordy old boy, they have all already left. Replaced by doctors Naidoo and Esshe, from India and Cuba respectively.

moloko moloko on November 9, 2009, 12:56 pm , nice one buddy, I see our truth serum has begun to kick in. Both you and I should maybe up the dose a little. It might help us see what is coming around the corner.