THE Apex Council – the umbrella union for government workers – has shot-down the proposed National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), describing the scheme as unrealistic.
Cecilia Alexander, Apex chairperson, said civil servants have lost trust in their employer’s ability to manage public funds.
“Government’s bankrupting of PSMAS means that it has lost public confidence as a custodian of any national scheme funds. It is owing the organisation millions and it is failing to meet its salary and pension obligations with NSSA,” said Alexander.
She added, “Also we have only 10 percent of the population on medical aid. From those, government has, say 5-7 percent civil servants on PSMAS, but is failing to honour that obligation. What more with a national scheme?”
The Apex leaders were making presentations before the Public Service Portfolio Committee of Parliament this Monday on the NHIS bill whose principles are reportedly being debated by Cabinet and is sponsored by the ministries of Health and Child Care and Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare.
Talks on coming up with a National Health Insurance Scheme started in 2008 but workers’ unions have been opposed to the idea for various reasons.
Alexander said government would have to wait until a time where the economy is performing better to ensure there are more formally employed contributors.
“If we had been consulted, still the answer would be a big no. The environment is unfertile for such a scheme,” she said.
“For the last three years we have not asked or received an increment but civil servants are overtaxed, overworked and underpaid. Workers feel this will be just another tax without the guarantee to health.”
Ladistous Zunde, vice chairperson of the Apex Council, said government has become notorious for imposing its decisions on people without even putting adequate modalities in place.
“We have the AIDS Levy, PSMAS subscriptions and the Health Fund already,” he said.
“They keep adding taxes to that little income without properly consulting and explaining the mechanisms. They say they are consulting you, you tell them to consult widely because the environment is not conducive but the next thing is you find them implementing.”
He argued that, instead of overtaxing the employee, government should deal with corruption and lavish spending by those in authority.
“Where is the extravaganza and flamboyance that we are seeing in government circles coming from if there is no money? If we say let’s tighten our belts let it be everyone,” said Zunde.
The scheme is hoped to guarantee universal health coverage in a country where at least two thirds are living below the poverty line.
