JOHANNESBURG – President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill into law on Wednesday, marking a significant move towards equal healthcare access and addressing disparities within the system. The newly enacted law aims to unify the fragmented healthcare landscape and enhance both efficiency and quality of services across the country.

According to South African Government News Agency, the NHI is fundamental in tackling poverty by making healthcare more affordable and lessening financial burdens on families, thereby allowing them to allocate resources to other essential needs. The president described the public signing as a pivotal moment in South Africa’s quest for a more equitable society. He highlighted the NHI’s role in balancing the scales between the public and private sectors, which currently do not equate cost with health outcomes.

Ramaphosa pointed out that the main challenges in implementing the NHI are not related to funding but to the misallocation of resources that favors private health services over public needs. The NHI Fund is expected to procure services from both sectors, ensuring all South Africans have access to quality care.

The government has already started a national quality improvement plan in healthcare facilities, showing promising enhancements even in township areas. Further, plans are underway to establish necessary governance structures based on a primary healthcare approach, ensuring gradual implementation of the NHI.