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Members of the public urged to share their thoughts on NHI Bill

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Gauteng Health MEC Dr. Bandile Masuku has urged members of the public to make use of the last leg of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill public hearings to share ideas and raise their concerns.

Chairperson of the South African Medical Association, Dr. Angelique Coetzer explains more about the NHI and how it affects doctors

The Portfolio Committee on Health conducted public hearings on the NHI Bill in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria.

The hearings will proceed to Gauteng’s West Rand and Ekurhuleni at the weekend until Monday.

Similar hearings have already been conducted in the other eight provinces.

The Bill is intended to achieve universal access to healthcare services in South Africa, which is a constitutional right.

The NHI Bill is a system of financing essential healthcare services to all South Africans, regardless of social standing.

Registrar & CEO of the South African Pharmacy Council, Amos Masango gives more clarity of false and malicious information that they have instructed registered professionals to support the NHI Bill

Masuku says they want the system to be inclusive.

Meanwhile, one residents of Soshanguve who participated in the public hearings support the NHI, but another has criticise the government for failing to properly implement its pilot programmes.

“We want to support the NHI Bill because we are thinking that this is a progressive bill that will address socio-economic aspects in this country. As we endorse it, the objectives should probably be to ensure that all South Africans irrespective of their socio-economic background should then be able to have access to the universal health care,” says one resident.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says the National Health Insurance will cost an estimated R256-billion.

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