South Africa’s Government Plans To Introduce Universal Health Care

South Africa’s government has announced plans to introduce a universal health care program in their country. They are set to start testing the program in 10 areas on start in April 2012, and will then be phased in nationally over the next 14 years.

The South African health minister said “These first steps towards establishing national health insurance are truly historic.”

Many analysts consider South Africa to be one of the world’s most unequal societies, where quality health care is skewed towards the private sector. More than 80% of South Africans cannot afford private medical insurance and rely on publicly funded hospitals, which charge a small fee for treatment and are often under staffed and overstretched.

Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said “Without NHI [national health insurance], the burden of disease in the country will not be reduced because the majority of the population – and the section suffering the greatest ill health – will not access good quality health care.”

Minister Motsoaledi added “”If you earn above a certain income you will be required by law to make a contribution to the NHI Fund. It will not be possible to opt out of this responsibility.”

For now many people are wondering if this plan will work, but for the sake of the poor many hope it will

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