NHI Bill Criticised by Activists for Excluding Asylum Seekers and Other Migrants From Healthcare Services

• The National Health Insurance Bill has been criticised for unconstitutionally excluding asylum seekers and other migrants
• The bill only makes provisions for migrants and undocumented foreigners to access emergency healthcare
• SA constitution dictates that everyone living in South Africa should have access to primary healthcare

JOHANNESBURG - The National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill has come under fire once again, this time from migrant health experts and activists.

The activists have criticised the highly contentious bill for unconstitutionally excluding asylum seekers and other migrants from accessing basic healthcare services.

The National Assembly adopted the NHI Bill in June, which aims to create universal health insurance by pooling funds to provide access to affordable healthcare aff South African citizens, IOL reported.

The bill does make provisions for asylum seekers and undocumented foreign nationals, but only for emergency medical services and care for notable conditions.

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Migrant health expert calls for NHI Bill to be amended

A Section 27 attorney focusing on migrant health, Sibusiswe Ndlela, said that the current set-up of the NHI contradicts the right to equality and human dignity enshrined in the constitution, TimesLIVE reported.

According to the Bill of Rights, everyone in South Africa, including foreigners, has the right to primary healthcare services.

Ndlela called for the bill to be amended so that migrants can retain access to healthcare currently available to them.

South Africans don't believe migrants should be included in NHI

Below are some comments:

@AmuEmperor said:

"EFF and Helen Suzman Foundation should accommodate those migrants. They should give them the healthcare they need."

@makhanip asked:

"Any thoughts about the funding to cover everyone in Africa?"

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@FaraNani04 claimed:

"The NHI is for citizens being paid for by citizens' taxes. Honestly, can't keep running this country as if it's a charity case."

@real_swazi questioned:

"Their governments can carry the costs nje?"

DA uses NCOP sitting to pick NHI bill apart citing major concerns but Health Minister Phaala makes assurances

Briefly News earlier reported that the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill made its way to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), and the Democratic Alliance (DA) used the opportunity to poke holes in the policy.

The DA's Delmain Christians listed a plethora of complications that the bill may create if implemented. Chief among them were budgetary constraints, staffing issues and inadequate medical supplies at SA hospitals, EWN reported.

Christians, who represent the North Cape, asked Health Minister Joe Phaahla:

"How will they deal with that, with the implementation of NHI? How will they provide adequate healthcare if the basic infrastructure is not improved in provinces?"

Source: Briefly News