Pietermaritzburg - KwaZulu-Natal will roll out the national health insurance (NHI) in two districts this year, premier Zweli Mkhize said on Tuesday.
"At long last, after so many years it fills me with joy to proclaim that the NHI is here. And it is here to stay," he said in his state of the province address.
The two districts would be announced by health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
The premier said the government was sorting out compliance matters from national, provincial and local government levels ahead of the rollout. The NHI would require sufficient staff, especially nurses.
"The vacancies of all nursing posts in hospitals and clinics must be filled and training of nurses fast-tracked. Without this the NHI will be doomed to fail."
The health department describes the NHI as a financing system that will ensure all South Africans have access to healthcare, regardless of their employment status and ability to contribute to the NHI fund.