UNIVERSAL COVERAGE
EXCLUSIVE: Health DG kept in the dark on revisions to NHI Bill
In a hard-hitting interview director-general Precious Matsoso says she last saw a copy of the draft bill in June
Health director-general Precious Matsoso says she has been completely sidelined by presidential adviser Olive Shisana and health minister Aaron Motsoaledi in revising the controversial draft National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill. The draft bill proposes far-reaching reforms to SA’s health system in order to achieve the government’s ambition of providing universal health coverage. The draft bill was released on June 21, with a three-month comment period that closed on September 21. It was then substantially changed by a team overseen by Shisana without consulting the Treasury officials, according to a leaked Treasury letter seen by Business Day last week. It is now clear that Matsoso, who is the department’s accounting officer, has been left in the dark too. In a hard-hitting interview with Business Day on Wednesday night, she said the last time she had seen a copy of the draft bill was when it was released for public comment in June. "I have not been involved at all in Olive’s bill. ...
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