Tuesday, March 19, 2024

National Insurance Health Bill fulfills one of the most important PF campaign promises-Amos Chanda

Share

Special Assistant to the President (Press and Public Relations) Mr Amos Chanda addresses journalists at a Press Briefing on the impeachment motion by UPND, at State House on Friday, 23rd March, 2018. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House
Special Assistant to the President (Press and Public Relations) Mr Amos Chanda addresses journalists at a Press Briefing on the impeachment motion by UPND, at State House on Friday, 23rd March, 2018. Picture by Eddie Mwanaleza/State House

President Edgar Lungu has signed the long awaited the National Insurance Health Bill into law thereby in fulfilling one of the most important PF campaign promises to provide equitable and quality health care for all.

President Lungu assented to the National Health Insurance ( NHI ) Act No. 2 of 2008 on 25th April 2018,bringing into force yet again one of the PF governments most significant socio-economic reforms since it took power in 2001,and actualizing the country’s long held aspiration to provide quality universal healthcare.

“Zambians have yearned for a robust, equitable and quality health care system that ensures equality for all without imposing high financial costs on citizens ,” the President notes.

“The healthcare reforms we have embarked on through this Act are aimed at achieving the dream this country has held for the past 54 years.

“ Since independence from British colonial rule in 1964, successive Zambian governments have sought to provide universal access to quality health care but this has been hampered by a lack of health insurance, which currently stands at a meagre five percent of the population.

“This low level of health insurance cover is unacceptable. We cannot have low healthcare utilization rates on account of lack of health insurance by the majority of our poor. We can’t have limited access to health on account of one’s economic status in society,” the Head of State says.

President Lungu says through the National Health Insurance Act, under the guiding principles of solidarity and inclusivity which are strongly embedded into the law, no Zambian will ever have to suffer to access healthcare because they have health insurance.

The NHI Act provides insurance for all Zambians.

He said despite the opposition from some quarters when the Bill was proposed to Parliament in 2017, the NHI Act in force must now work towards the full implementation of the law to ensure that 95 percent of Zambians that have no health insurance cover are insured.

“This progressive law can no longer be viewed with partisan lenses for it is about promotion of life cover illnesses. It is about social justice because it brings about unprecedented equity in the provision of health care.

“ This an important moment not just for those of us in the PF who have delivered on this great promise, but for all Zambians,” the President says.

“For us, now is the season for action, an epic moment that heralds a memorable journey towards better health for all. From now on is when we must bring the best ideas from all stakeholders, and we in the government, with the support of all progressive stakeholders will show the Zambian people that we can still achieve greater goals that are seemingly beyond our reach,” says the Head of State.

President Lungu says the attainment of Universal Health Coverage is the lighthouse that is guiding the PF government health reforms agenda and through the NHI Act, saying he is confident of significant delivery on the health manifesto promises.

“We embark on this progressive, yet ambitious health reform agenda as guided by the PFs manifesto which is premised on being a party that is concerned with the livelihoods of the people, particularly the majority poor. Zambia cannot develop without healthy citizens, and so access to quality healthcare is a top priority.” President Lungu stated.

Through the NHI Act, the PF government , the President said, will walk the talk of reducing overall inequalities in society because healthcare is central to the overall socio-economic well -being of the country.

Government will also invest in the state of the art medical equipment and processes to ensure that the Zambian healthcare system becomes regional leader.

This is contained in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today by Special Assistant to the President for Press and Public Relations, Amos Chanda.

19 COMMENTS

  1. its just another way for the government to squander money from people. how are people in rural areas going to benefit from this scheme ???????????? Stop stealing money and invest our hard earned taxes into health !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Even chicken farmers now have to pay K1 tax per chicken.

      Instead of creating jobs, the PF00Lish Government is busy taxing unemployed citizens after enriching themselves from KALOBA/EURO-BOND/CHINESE LOANS.

      No wonder people are saying they are Foreigners.

    • It’s f00lishness to expect someone who doesn’t know where his next meal will come from to pay health insurance

  2. Ba Kalamba ba Chanda: Are you telling the people of Zambia that once money is deducted from employees salaries and given to Ministry of Health, then those employees will not pay another extra bill at their hospitals? Educate me and others who may not understand the meaning of it.

  3. I this this Amos guy must know his boundaries. For goodness sake, he is a civil servant who shouldn’t be lecturing us about the PF campaign promises. I would accept if this was coming from the other Chanda (Sunday). In any case, we have competent officials from the Ministry of Health to tell us about this issue

    • Very true my brother. The special assistant for press at state house has nothing to do with the PF manifesto. Someone should sue him for using a government job for party motives

  4. Talk about health care without talking about it really! Does it mean that now I can just fly to India for medicals and my insurance will pay? Why doesn’t he just tell us clearly the provisions of this insurance cover?

  5. Health insurance
    Fuel levy
    Toll gates
    Tv licence
    All these nothing ever improves in the sectors that specific money is collected for in this country, so Zambians will see that nothing will change in the hospitals

    • @ Dunafye
      You mean you live in Mars? I see very good roads now than ever in my life and all credit goes to no one but PF President Lungu. Muletasha bane, we used to suffer in “open pits” as we used to call the potholed roads before PF came in and transformed the roads in Zambia.

  6. Make Health Insurance contributions compulsory for MPs, President of the Republic of Zambia and also make it compulsory that every government employee and politician can only visit a hospital and clinic within Zambia.
    No special treatment for President, Minister and their families. None, they shall all be covered by the scheme and contribute and use the same facilities.
    By the way, why are MPs, President and vice President get salaries and perks without paying any tax on them?

    Tax them like any other citizen and see how it sends a wake up call.

    Also, it shall be made mandatory to keep an account of all expenses incurred by Ministers, MPs and the President/Vice-President and allowances drawn and publish them in national papers twice a year for their appointing authorities (voters)…

  7. Comment:yes this is welcome, if u don’t understand it is better u ask than insulting. where does the money for life assurance come from if government have not failed in this regard do u think it can fail on this bill For me I’m waiting for implementation of this so that it benefit us all.

  8. It’s really a question of trust. This Ministry of Health is notorious for spending money unwisely. What will be different this time? Some PF-connected middlemen will line up to supply dubious medicines at inflated prices. That is what will be happening. It’s just an opportunity for doctors and pharmacologists to have a chance to drive expensive 4x4s like engineers in Zesco, accountants in ZRA etc.

  9. Mweemba awee teine! Mulenga ulikwi? Awe teine. Mwanza come here! awe teine? its not me, its not me, its not me, what are you talking about???????? typical of Zambian, Why always be negative. Listen and where you are not too sure ask for clarity, period. Does it mean there is nothing this government is doing that is good? Awe Surely, is this is the first time people have heard of health insurance?

  10. The arrogancy of “powers” I won’t b surprised if one road tax becomes compulsory to all road users i.e. including the pedestrian. Also watch out 4 oxygen tax

  11. An unexpected consequence could that if you somehow to pay tbe insurance amount, which hasnt been announced,even if unemployed then zra will say that gou have income and will want their share.
    What are the insurance premiums, how does an 18 year old student or unemployed person affford.
    These should have been explained. Informed pipo are less likely to be negative.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading