Takeouts from the Budget speech: NHI gets a look in, oncology services get a slight boost, but generally, nothing to see here

21 February 2024, 16:30
Contributor: Linda Ravenhill


Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the health sector will  R848 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, with at least R1 billion directed towards the National Health Insurance (NHI). 

He made the announcement during the 2024 Budget Speech in Parliament today. The budget includes funds for addressing the 2023 wage agreement, infrastructure development, and the NHI grant. 

Godongwana emphasized the government's commitment to the NHI policy and highlighted various system-strengthening activities essential for improving the public healthcare system. These activities include building a national health information system, upgrading health facilities, strengthening management, granting semi-autonomous status to hospitals, and developing reference prices and payment methods.  

He noted, however, that overall, the sector's budget growth is expected to be slower than inflation.

Perhaps the biggest winner of the day, if there was one, was public oncology services, whose budget will receive an 8,8% boost as money is shifted into it from the oncology portion of the national health insurance conditional grant.

Our takeout?  Nothing much to see here, let's all just move along.

Related Content 

8th February 2023: The President's just looking for his pen - the future of the NHI hangs on a stationary crisis
5 February 2023: It's a NO from us, Mr President: Business SA pushes back on the NHI
6 Dec 2023: Concerns raised as NHI Bill approved by National Council of Provinces
 

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