President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa is faced with the reality that its current healthcare system is not sustainable, despite different views on how National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme should be implemented.
In his letter to the nation, he says that access to quality healthcare should not depend on one’s ability to pay.
Ramaphosa’s comments come days after he signed the NHI Bill into law.
He has pointed out the significant contribution the state makes to private sector health care in the form of training of personnel, subsidisation of public sector medical aid schemes and provision for tax rebates for medical aid expenses.
Ramaphosa has also illustrated the lack of affordability of private health care for many whose medical aid contributions are increasing faster than inflation.
He adds that the resources spent by both sectors can be more efficiently used to build a single system that serves all South Africans.
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