WE ARE AWARE THAT IT IS WITHIN THE POWERS OF CABINET TO TAKE GOVERNANCE DECISIONS SUCH AS THE ONE CONCERNING THE MOVEMENT OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (NHIMA) THAT ADMINISTERS THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME FROM THE MINISTRY WHERE IT IS CURRENTLY HOUSED TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AS WE HAVE HEARD.
HOWEVER, IN DOING SO CABINET SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED TWO MAJOR FACTORS, ONE BEING THAT THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME IS A CONTRIBUTORY SCHEME WHOSE CONTRIBUTORS TO THE SCHEME ARE EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS CURRENTLY IN THE FORMAL SECTOR AND AS SUCH IT IS A CONTRIBUTORY SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEME AND THE MINISTRY RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES IN THE COUNTRY IS THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY. IN MOST COUNTRIES WHERE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEMES ARE, THE AUTHORITY MANAGING THE SCHEME IS HOUSED UNDER THE MINISTRIES RESPONSIBLE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT.
SECONDLY CABINET IS AWARE THAT THE SCHEME IS CURRENTLY 90% FINANCED BY THE EMPLOYERS AND THE WORKERS IN THE COUNTRY AND ACCORDINGLY THE EMPLOYERS AND THE WORKERS ORGANIZATIONS ARE KEY STAKEHOLDERS WHO SHOULD HAVE A SAY ON WHERE THE AUTHORITY MUST BE HOUSED.
SO AS FUNDERS OF THE SCHEME WE ARE HERE TO INFORM THE GOVERNMENT THAT WE ARE CATEGORICALLY OPPOSED TO THE IDEA OF TAKING NHIMA BACK TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AS THE EMPLOYERS AND WORKERS ORGANISATIONS DO NOT HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AS IT IS NOT A TRIPARTITE MINISTRY.
WE HAVE HEARD COMMENTS FROM SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN FAVOUR OF THIS MOVE THAT UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH NHIMA WILL ENHANCE ITS CAPACITY TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PROTECTION TO CITIZENS , SHIELDING THEM FROM CATASTROPHIC HEALTH EXPENDITURE WITH ENHANCED ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH SERVICES, WE DO NOT SEE HOW THIS CAN NOT BE ACHIEVED WITH NHIMA UNDER THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNMENT HAVING CREATED NHIMA WAS EXACTLY TO FACILITATE IMPROVED ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL ZAMBIANS. SO HAVING NHIMA HOUSED UNDER THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY DOES NOT TAKE AWAY THE REALIZATION OF THIS NATIONAL ASPIRATION.
IT MUST BE REALIZED THAT WHEN NHIMA WAS UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH SOME NHIMA MANAGEMENT STAFF IN COLLABORATION WITH SOME SENIOR STAFF FROM THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OPENED UP PRIVATE PHARMACIES GIVING THEMSELVES BUSINESS AND SUPPLYING TO NHIMA AS WAS REVEALED IN THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT FOR THE YEARS 2020 AND 2021 A FEW MONTHS AGO. WITH NHIMA UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH, THERE WAS AN INFLUX OF BOTH PRIVATE PHARMACIES AND HOSPITALS IN A VERY SHORT TIME BECAUSE OF THE BUSINESS INTEREST THAT THE MOH STAFF HAD DEVELOPED, AND ACTS OF CORRUPTION WERE RAMPANT SUCH AS THE PROCUREMENT OF THE ICT SYSTEM WHICH WAS RUMORED TO HAVE BEEN PROCURED WITHOUT FOLLOWING ANY TENDER PROCEDURES. THIS SYSTEM IS UP TO TODAY CAUSING A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN THE OPERATIONS OF NHIMA.
SO FOR ANY ONE TO SUGGEST THAT PLACING NHIMA UNDER THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH WILL PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL PROTECTION TO CITIZENS IS A MISS PLACED DREAM THAT WILL NEVER BE ACTUALIZED. IT IS A FACT THAT THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH A NUMBER OF CORRUPT ACTIVITIES EVEN IN ITS ADMINISTRATION OF THE GLOBAL FUND ON HIV AND AIDS, MALARIA AND TB. THE GLOBAL FUND ON HIV AND AIDS HAS BEEN FUNDING THIS COUNTRY HUGE SUMS OF MONEY IN EXCESS OF USD 300 MILLION ON A BIANNUAL PROGRAM AND THE MINISTRY OF HEATH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRINCIPAL RECIPIENT TO THESE FUNDS BUT THE COUNTRY HAS STILL EXPERIENCED SHORTAGES OF DRUGS FOR HIV, MALARIA AND TB.
SO OUR HUMBLE APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT IS THAT LET NHIMA REMAIN AT THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL SECURITY WHERE THE FUNDERS OF NHIMA, THE WORKERS AND EMPLOYERS HAVE A VOICE THROUGH THE TRIPARTITE CONSULTATIVE LABOUR COUNCIL. OUR VOICES ARE CRITICAL TO THE FINANCING OF NHIMA WHICH CURRENTLY HAS A ZERO CONTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE
THANK YOU.