Mevrou die Voorsitter, dit is vir die Nuwe NP in beginsel onmoontlik om hierdie wetsontwerp te steun, en wel om die volgende redes.
Teenstrydig met die privatiseringsbeleid van die Regering, beoog hierdie wetgewing om laboratoriumdienste te nasionaliseer en te monopoliseer. Dit sal 'n kwade dag wees vir gesondheidsdienste as mediese dienste nie meer op 'n kompeterende basis gelewer kan word nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Dr P J C NEL: Madam Chairperson, in principle it is impossible for the New NP to support this Bill, for the following reasons.
In contrast to the policy of privatisation of the Government, this legislation envisages nationalising and monopolising laboratory services. It will be a bad day for health services when medical services can no longer be rendered on a competitive basis.]
Clause 15(1) reads as follows, ``Public health sector service providers must purchase laboratory services from the Service'' - the NHLS. The New NP is of the opinion that a more cost-effective and quicker service can be provided by the private sector in certain instances, and it should not be excluded as an option for the public sector service provider. The New NP is concerned about a possible decline in the standards of services owing to the amalgamation of 110 branches of the SA Insitute for Medical Research, the National Institute for Virology and eight provincial health laboratory services. The centralisation of the service could create endless transport problems, causing a delay in receiving of results from tests by doctors in hospitals.
In the Free State we are extremely concerned about the closing of the provincial laboratory service.
Tans is die oorgrote meerderheid van die laboratoriumpersoneel sowel as die akademiese komponent op die diensstaat van die provinsie. Met die sluiting van die provinsiale laboratorium beteken dit dat die totale personeelkomponent nou op die universiteit se betaalstaat sal wees. Dit word beraam dat dit die Universiteit van die Vrystaat ongeveer R30 miljoen per jaar gaan kos, wat hulle net eenvoudig nie het nie.
Die mediese natuurwetenskaplikes is hoogs gekwalifiseerde mense en het te doen met die opleiding van nagraadse mediese studente sowel as navorsing. Hulle is tans besig met baie belangrike navorsingsprojekte waarmee hulle reeds internasionale bekendheid verwerf het. Met die sentralisering van laboratoriumdienste loop mediese fakulteite die risiko om gemarginaliseer te word ten opsigte van basiese navorsing wat dan hoofsaaklik deur die twee groot sentra gedoen sal word, en wat sal beteken dat die fakulteite net 'n doodgewone laboratoriumdiens sal lewer.
Ek het gister met ontsteltenis verneem dat die taakspan van die departement nog geen ooreenkomste gesluit het met enige van die agt universiteite nie. Intussen hang die toekoms van al hierdie werknemers in die lug. Ek het rede om te glo dat die betrokke vakbonde ook ontsteld is oor hierdie aangeleentheid. Dit wil vir my lyk asof hierdie stuk wetgewing meer probleme gaan skep as wat dit gaan oplos. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Currently the vast majority of the laboratory staff as well as the academic component are on the payroll of the province. The closing of the provincial laboratory means that the entire staff component will now be on the university's payroll. It is estimated that this will cost the University of the Free State approximately R30 million per year, which they simply do not have.
The medical scientists are highly qualified people and deal with the training of postgraduate medical students, as well as research. They are currently busy with very important research projects which have already earned them international renown. With the centralisation of laboratory services the medical faculties run the risk of being marginalised with regard to basic research, which will then primarily be done by the two big centra, and which will mean that the faculties will render just a normal laboratory service.
I learnt with concern yesterday that the task team of the department has not reached agreements with any of the eight universities. In the meantime the future of all these employees hangs in the balance. I have reason to believe that the relevant trade unions are also upset about this matter. It seems to me that this piece of legislation is going to create more problems than it is going to solve. [Applause.]]