Hon House Chair, hon Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, hon Deputy Minister Dr Joe Phaahla, Members of Portfolio Committee of Health, hon Members of Parliament, our guests, ladies and gentlemen, let me take this opportunity to congratulate both our Minister and Deputy Minister for being appointed by our President to lead Health in South Africa. Your past excellent contribution in health leadership in our country and in Africa and internationally will be a treasure for our country.
We would like to offer our support and good working relationship as we all discharge our different responsibilities towards improving health conditions of our citizens. In 1978 leaders of the world,
health activists, social activists and all peace loving and health promoting activists met in Khazakstan to deliberate on issues of human development and health.
The meeting closed with a Declaration which is known as Alma Ata Declaration. This declaration had a theme: "Health for all by year 2000". Health for all citizens of the world.
Some citizens came back thinking that this 22 years of waiting was a long period to wait for a dream that would at least bring dignity to our poor people. Needless to say that the year 2000 came and it has now gone, and there was no health for all in the world. Nineteen years have since been lived and there is still no health for all citizens in the world. This dream has been delayed by those who continue to benefit from the inequality of health in societies.
This dream for us in South Africa is anchored on the Freedom Charter, FC, of 1955, clause No 9, which talks about a preventative health scheme shall be run by the state, free medical care and hospitalization shall be provided for all, with special care for mothers and young children.
Former Director General of World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, has mobilised leaders of the world to universal health coverage. So, it is time now that we move to progressive realisation of this dream of the Freedom Charter, dream of Alma Ata activists, we cannot wait any longer.[Applause]
We have termed our universal health coverage, National health insurance, NHI, in our shores. Can we be able to attempt to provide health for all? What financing system are we going to put in place to provide such noble programme? A programme that emphasizes on social solidarity, it talks about NHI being a public good. It says we must carry along those who are less fortunate and less resourced to be able to provide health for themselves, majority of whom are blacks in general and Africans in particular.
Opposing NHI is similar to a statement of a conversation that I could refer to someone conversing with someone in this way: "My dearest domestic worker. I am grateful to you for looking after my house, my children while I am in Parliament. Thank you for helping my children to know how to cross the road from school. While I have a medical aid called Parmed, I don't think that you deserve it.
Over and above I am not able to support any programme that seeks to give you good health". [Interjections]