House Chairperson, thanks to all the members for all the comments, suggestions and inputs. I just want to finish off by also indicating that the full package of services that we will be looking at is contained in the speech and will be sent through. But I want to thank all the stakeholders who are here, in particular I want to congratulate the Medical Research Council on the 50th Anniversary of Excellence. I also believe that with their celebration this year it is important for us to celebrate the hard work, excellence and professionalism of all the public servants in our system, who are dedicating their lives in making sure that we get the best services.
So, I want to salute all those public servants who work in our system, in particular I also want to congratulate, as the Deputy Minister, Dr Lindiwe Sidali who is the first cardiothoracic surgeon and Prof Mashudu Tshifularo, again on being the first to do world transplant middle-ear bone on 3D technology. [Applause.] In thanking everyone, I also want to thank the President for his leadership, the Deputy President for his [Inaudible 12:08:35] leadership,
colleagues, Ministers and the department's Deputy Minister for all the work that they have done to help us with the speech. It is time now for us to implement. It is time for Khawuleza [Hurry.]. Therefore, we are ready to go to battle.
The NHI Bill is out from Cabinet. It will be processed by this House and we will continue to support. We are doing the briefing to the media just to give them a sense because there is a lot of interest. There are issues that they have raised and amongst them is that we agree that there is a need for strong consequence management. I just want to say to hon Dlomo, I agree with you hon member. Most countries which have done NHI have done so when their economy was lowest. Japan and UK did the same. We were there with them and they actually explained that you can't be more wealthy to implement NHI; just go ahead.
I also think and I am sorry, hon Gwarube, that you decided to distort the issue. In the first instance, I did say the pilot report is not out. But I specifically said it does not matter what the weaknesses it will show. We will have to solve them anyway. So, that is the attitude. We will solve whatever attitude comes. It doesn't matter what they are, we will solve them.
I see that the DA's spin doctors were busy playing around. I think you are also trying to polish your marbles. The issues of the DA - already you are now no longer opposed to the removal of tax benefits from medical aid. Wow, that is interesting! Then, for years you have been opposing the regulation of medical aids. Welcome to the club or should we say ...
IsiZulu:
Molo Fish, uphume nini ethinini?
English:
The hon Thembekwayo, well you support the NHI but somewhere down the line you don't like the budget. Let's work with the support; I don't mind the rest. The hon Hlengwa, your issues - the president of the Health Professions Council of SA, HPCSA is here. This is a body of professionals with high integrity. So, just bring us the report. All the things you report are not about the HPCSA. If there are individuals who are misbehaving, we will investigate them and deal with them.
Therefore, the other issues that have been raised here - don't try and dissociate yourself from the health system as witnessed here. I looked at the TB figures. Western Cape is just as bad as the whole
of South Africa. So, we take responsibility for the weakness in your system. We take responsibility. If you have delusions of dissociation, that's your problem. We are going to work on this system and fix it. It doesn't matter which side.
The other member said we spent R200 billion on NHI. Sorry, get your figures right. That is wrong. The other issue of R80 billion on medicolegal - those are projections. We haven't spent that money. But some of you, if you are fit to criticise the ANC, do it on facts so that we can deal with the issues properly. We are going forward to fix the health system.
IsiZulu:
Siyafisa ukwazisa abantu emakhaya ukuthi sifisa kunciphe imigqa emide ezibhedlela, kutholakale imithi, kuthakale odokotela nabahlengikazi abaningi kanjalo nonompilo abanele. Iyona ke le National Health Insurance, NHI, esifuna ibe khona, futhi yenzeke. Konke lokhu okunye okubandakanya ukulungiswa kwezibhedlela kuzilungiswe, konke sizokusebenza, sikwenze kanyekanye, kodwa akuzuthi ngoba izinto zingahambi kahle bese sithi konakele konke, ngakho ke asizokwenza lutho, thina sikhethe ukuba sisebenze nabantu silungise isimo sempilo, sibe yilento abayifunayo. Ngaleyondlela sithi phambili nge NHI, siyaqhubeka
English:
Thank you. [Applause.]