Durban - The Department of Health has underspent on its National Health Insurance fund by R305 million, which is against the stance of the ANC.
The underexpenditure flies in the face of calls by the ANC for the government to ramp up the programme and complete the White Paper on NHI.
The underexpenditure was identified by the Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu, in the department’s annual report before Parliament.
The tabling of the report comes a week before the ANC holds its national general council, a mid-term policy review conference, in Gauteng where the NHI will form part of the discussions.
The talks, which begin next Thursday, will draw more than 3 000 ANC delegates from across the country.
In its discussion documents, under health and education, the ANC wants the speedy implementation of the NHI.
“The NHI fund has not been set up as yet using state revenue. The resolution directs that the fund be set up urgently,” reads the document.
“However, discussions have been initiated between the Department of Health and the National Treasury through the facilitation of the Presidency,” says the document.
This was confirmed by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi in Parliament a few weeks ago where he said they were still on course with the 14-year plan to roll out the NHI.
He said the funding model for the NHI would be finalised soon.
In its annual report the Department of Health said it had underspent by R305 million on the programme.
The government set up 10 pilot districts for the NHI in different provinces.
The full roll-out will be over the next seven years, but Motsoaledi warned in Parliament that setting up the NHI it would not be smooth sailing.
Even in established democratic systems like Britain’s, it took some time before they could implement the National Health Service.
In the US, Obamacare was facing challenges in court by those opposing it in the private sector.
Motsoaledi said universal health coverage was a challenge for any government, but South Africa would be able to roll it out.
At its Mangaung conference in 2012 the ANC pushed for the introduction of the NHI.
The discussion was started at the Polokwane conference in 2007, and in 2012 it moved for full implementation of the resolution.
The government and the ANC have said the NHI would benefit many poor people who cannot afford health care.
Currently the Department of Health is spending billions of rands refurbishing hospitals and clinics and also recruiting doctors to work in state facilities.
The Mercury