Netcare shows its about money - union
2010-11-10 20:04
Johannesburg - Nehawu on Wednesday said the conviction of Netcare Kwa-Zulu (NKZ) on charges of illegal kidney transplants was indicative of the attitude of the private hospital in the country.
"Netcare's immoral and criminal behaviour shows us that the private health company's primary concern is not to improve and provide quality healthcare to South Africans but how much money they can make from the plight of the sick and poor people," said Nehawu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla in a statement.
Comments by the National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) come after NKZ was fined R4m by the Commercial Crimes Court after it pleaded guilty to charges of illegal kidney transplants at its St Augustine Hospital in Durban.
NKZ faced 100 counts on three main charges, including that the hospital's staff had illegally acquired kidneys between 2001 and November 2003.
It was also charged with performing transplants in which five of the suppliers were minors, and receiving payments for the operations.
Nehawu called for the immediate implementation of government's national health insurance (NHI).
"Nehawu as a transformative union is calling for the immediate implementation of the NHI without the public private partnerships (PPP's) because the private sector has got no role in the management and operations of health institutions," the union said.
The system, it added, would address the disparity that has resulted in South Africa being one of the most unequal societies in the world.
The system would ensure that the poor access free healthcare regardless of whether they were employed or not.
The union said that private health companies were opposed to the implementation to the NHI as it threatened their business interests.
- SAPA
