Let’s focus on health insurance bill – MP advises colleagues 

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 12:24:48 +0000

By AARON CHIYANZO

PARLIAMENTARIANS should prioritize passing of the national health insurance bill when parliament resumes sitting next week Tuesday, Bwana Mukubwa Member of Parliament Jonas Chanda has advised his colleagues.

Dr Chanda, who is a medical doctor by profession said that the bill was long overdue and a non-contentious issue.

He said that the Health Insurance Bill would enable Zambians access quality health care despite their standing in society.

Speaking at the PF interactive Forum in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Chanda expressed fears that politicking on this bill might draw the country backwards and hinder progress in the health sector.

He pointed out that currently only about 4 percent of the populous had health insurance coverage as they were no laws to regulate health activities.

Dr Chanda said that all well-meaning Zambians, including labour movements should support the bill because it would ensure universal health coverage.

“All MPs regardless of political affiliation should support this bill because it is progressive. It is a non-contentious issue and does not require politicking. The poor like others will be able to access proper health services, anywhere they get sick from even without money,” he said.

The Bill’s intention is to create an institution to be called the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) that will be given a legal mandate to collect money from all workers and employers through the payroll and from every Zambian aged 18 years and above, including pensioners except those above 70 years.

The money to be collected is said to be used by the Government to provide medical services to Zambians in accessing medical services from would-be government accredited health centres.

This means that no Zambian will be able to receive any medical service in any government health centre without a financial subscription to the NHIA.

Meanwhile, Dr Chanda said that Zambia stood a chance to become a hub of medical tourism with improvements in health infrastructure.

He said that massive infrastructure that government was putting up in all parts of the country would make medical tourism possible.