NHI report: No support from healthcare workers

Solidarity announced its latest report on the National Health Insurance (NHI) with regard to healthcare workers at a media conference on 26 August. According to the report, almost no healthcare worker supports the government’s plan to implement the NHI.
The report was compiled by the Solidarity Research Institute and based on an opinion survey conducted among healthcare workers in which they were asked to share their knowledge, insight on opinion with regard to the NHI.
“More than 85% of the healthcare workers who participated in the study indicated that the implementation of the NHI would lead to healthcare workers leaving the country. South Africa will therefore be left with a shortage of medical staff, which implies that quality and specialist healthcare services will be extremely scarce. All South Africans will suffer because of this and access to healthcare will consequently diminish instead of healthcare becoming more accessible,” said Nicolien Welthagen, senior research psychologist at Solidarity.
Healthcare workers have indicated that they have no confidence in the government or in its ability to manage such a system effectively. According to them, this will destabilise healthcare in South Africa and it will be detrimental to the quality of care provided.