Cyril Ramaphosa signs the NHI bill into law
President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law on Wednesday the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
Cyril emphasised the importance of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in providing equal access to healthcare services and addressing inequalities.
“[The Bill] is also about efficiency and quality. The provision of healthcare in this country is currently fragmented, unsustainable and unacceptable,” President Ramaphosa said, adding that he finally “found his pen” to sign the long-awaited Bill.
Ramaphosa said: “We are gathered here to bear witness to the signing into law of the NHI, which at the stroke of a pen is about to become an Act of Parliament.”
“The NHI is an important instrument to tackle poverty. The rising cost of health care makes families poorer. By contrast, healthcare provided through the NHI frees up resources in poor families for other essential needs.”
He believes that the NHI will make healthcare in the country more affordable.
“The way healthcare services will be paid for is meant to contain comprehensive healthcare costs and to ensure the available resources are more efficiently used.”
President Ramaphosa described the public signing of the NHI Bill into law as a pivotal moment and a milestone in South Africa’s ongoing quest for a more just society.
Signing of the National Health Insurance Bill into law #NHIBill#LeaveNoOneBehind 🇿🇦 https://t.co/cWb43zgKBi
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) May 15, 2024
