POLITICIANS SHUNNING HEALTH SYSTEM?

MBABANE – Have politicians passed a vote of no confidence in the public health system?

This is because the politicians, through Finance Circular No.2 of 2013 (currently used to pay them), are allocated a medical aid cover as one of their benefits.
However, the medical aid cover is contributory, which means the politicians contribute a certain percentage towards it.

Human rights lawyer Sibusiso Nhlabatsi said by the mere allocation of this benefit, it translated to the politicians not having faith in the national health facilities that they always encourage the public to take advantage of and use, as they are said to be in best standards.

The country has 99 99arliamentarians, 59 constituency headmen and 336 constituency councillors.
The circular stipulates that medical aid is afforded to all parliamentarians through an approved service provider. The medical aid covers all medical costs incurred; with various contribution rates.

This is despite that the public health system is in a depressing condition as preventable diseases still claim the lives of many due to the shortage of medication.
Nhlabatsi also said the country had not yet met the eight-kilometre radius between health facilities so that the public could receive health care.

Further, due to inadequate resources, local professionals, nurses in particular, left the country in search of greener pastures.
Nhlabatasi said: “With such challenges in the health sector, local politicians would be doing justice to the national health centres to use them with their families to experience the challenges daily faced by the public and employ the necessary adjustments to improve them.”

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: