Health Minister says NHI plans steaming ahead despite court ruling to halt its implementation

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that planning for the National Health Insurance (NHI) is steaming ahead despite a court agreement to halt its implementation. 

At last count, Motsoaledi said that there are at least 14 cases in the courts to challenge the implementation of government’s plan for universal health access. 

Last week parties which have taken government to court agreed to pause their legal challenges until the Constitutional Court rules on whether Parliament fell short on its obligation to consider public input, before the bill was passed at the end of 2023. 

Updating Parliament’s Health Portfolio Committee this week on the impact of the court agreement,  Motsoaledi said that the various legal challenges could drag on for the next two decades. 

But work has to proceed in preparing for the NHI which promises equal health care for all patients across the public and private sectors.

This includes the building of at least three new hospitals and the introduction of an electronic patient registration system.

"So, when we paused, we did not say we are going to pause the preparations for NHI. It’s not part of what we agreed."

Motsoaledi saidthat the president is not allowed to promulgate regulations pertaining to certain sections of the act, such as the formation of an NHI board.

"We had already drawn up the promulgations to send it to the president, that is on hold. But in terms of preparation, we are going full force."

The Constitutional Court is expected to hear the applications related to public participation in May.