ANC wants to implement NHI in 2012

Durban - The ANC wants to implement National Health Insurance from 2012, said ANC health sub-committee chairperson Zweli Mkhize at the ruling party's national general council in Durban on Tuesday.

The programme is expected to cost R128bn in its first year increasing to R376bn by 2025.

"Implementation will be phased in over 14 years and rolled out for start in 2012 in the seriously underserved areas where people have difficulty accessing health care," Mkhize said.

The NHI aimed to provide affordable universal health coverage to South Africa.

"Membership to the NHI would be compulsory for the whole population but the public can choose whether to continue with voluntary medical scheme cover," Mkhize said, reading from proposals that will be discussed at the ANC's national general council.

The proposal suggests that the NHI be funded from various sources including a surcharge on taxable income payroll taxes for employees and employers, and an increase in value added tax which is earmarked for the NHI.

"The main source of revenue for the NHI fund will be allocations from general taxation," Mkhize said.

All of this will be combined in the NHI fund from which all services covered by the NHI system will be funded.

Olive Shisana, chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on health, said private hospitals could choose to remain private.