Cosatu Hails Introduction of National Health Insurance Scheme

September 24 - Following the announcement by the head of the ANC's health committee Zweli Mkhize, that the much talked about National Health Insurance scheme is to be introduced in 2012, there have been reactions from interest groups across the board.

Yesterday, the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) welcomed the news that the plan has a trigger date, and that it will focus on rural areas over a 14 year phase.

"We are delighted that this is now becoming a reality," said the trade union group in a statement.

"At last we are about to remove one of the biggest barriers to access to health by the poor - money."

Cosatu said that despite the end of apartheid, its impact could still be felt on the population's health.

It highlighted the tragic fact that the life expectancy of the country's average black person is only 48 years.

"Mortality and morbidity rates are unacceptably high, preventable communicable diseases are common, and diseases associated with extreme poverty still occur," said Cosatu. "At the heart of these damning statistics is the two-tier, wasteful health care system."

On the other side of the spectrum, analysts are pointing out that South Africa will still have a dual healthcare system - private and public - if the NHI becomes a reality.

However, tax payers would be paying a much higher price for the system.

The ANC said that it aimed to train over 80,000 new healthcare workers to meet the demand of the new system.

There are still no cost estimates for the proposed NHI scheme, although it is clear that the government and tax payers will have to fork out billions more to offer universal health cover to all South Africans.