Nationalisation of health system by a party that cannot run power, water and transport will destroy what we have
12 March 2024 - 15:09
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We have strong elements of a world-class health system in SA, though the best care is hardly accessible to 80% of the people. The majority have to make do with public health. Yet, the very existence of pools of private medical excellence provide a template for public facilities. Seeking to nationalise our health system via National Health Insurance (NHI) will destroy what we have.
Private sector doctors and specialists are frequently seconded to less privileged hospitals and clinics. The poor, and all society, benefit from such collaboration. The ANC has proved staggeringly incompetent in virtually all areas in which it governs. It cannot even run the power system properly — indeed, Eskom may still plunge us all into darkness.
No other country is so inept — power supply should be straightforward. The UK, for example, does not have serious power supply problems, but its NHS system is showing cracks. National health is a greater challenge than power or water and transport.
By now we must all realise that the present government cannot run power, water and transport effectively. How on this earth will it operate a nationalised health system? The NHI will fail, and, worst of all, the poor will find that even their current meagre — but at least available — medical care will be gone.
Willem Cronje Cape Town
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
LETTER: NHI will fail
Nationalisation of health system by a party that cannot run power, water and transport will destroy what we have
Yugen Pillay’s article refers (“The 2024 budget hints at a pragmatic approach to NHI”, March 4).
We have strong elements of a world-class health system in SA, though the best care is hardly accessible to 80% of the people. The majority have to make do with public health. Yet, the very existence of pools of private medical excellence provide a template for public facilities. Seeking to nationalise our health system via National Health Insurance (NHI) will destroy what we have.
Private sector doctors and specialists are frequently seconded to less privileged hospitals and clinics. The poor, and all society, benefit from such collaboration. The ANC has proved staggeringly incompetent in virtually all areas in which it governs. It cannot even run the power system properly — indeed, Eskom may still plunge us all into darkness.
No other country is so inept — power supply should be straightforward. The UK, for example, does not have serious power supply problems, but its NHS system is showing cracks. National health is a greater challenge than power or water and transport.
By now we must all realise that the present government cannot run power, water and transport effectively. How on this earth will it operate a nationalised health system? The NHI will fail, and, worst of all, the poor will find that even their current meagre — but at least available — medical care will be gone.
Willem Cronje
Cape Town
JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments to letters@businesslive.co.za. Letters of more than 300 words will be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Writers should include a daytime telephone number.
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