CAPE TOWN, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Council of Provinces (NCOP), the upper house of parliament, on Wednesday passed a bill on health insurance that aims to provide universal healthcare to all South Africans.

The National Health Insurance (NHI) bill, which cleared the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, on June 12 this year, was sent to the NCOP for concurrence, according to a statement issued Wednesday night by the parliament of South Africa.

The bill will now move on to the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for consideration and to be signed into law.

"One of the key purposes of the bill is to establish a National Health Insurance Fund and to set out its powers, functions, and governance structures. The Fund will purchase healthcare services for all users who are registered with it," said the parliament statement.

"The bill seeks to realize universal health coverage for all," it said. "This means that every South African will have the right to access comprehensive healthcare services free of charge at the point of care at accredited health facilities, such as clinics, hospitals, and private health practitioners."

Health Minister Joe Phaahla hailed the adoption of the NHI bill by the NCOP as a "significant milestone" in the country's commitment to achieving universal health coverage.

"This is a landmark moment for our country, and specifically for our health system as we move towards realizing universal health coverage through the phased-approached implementation of NHI as a mechanism to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for all citizens," Phaahla said in a statement issued after the vote.

"We are confident that, with the support of all stakeholders, we will create a healthcare system that is fair, efficient, and accessible to all," he added.

In the NCOP vote, eight of the country's nine provinces voted to approve the bill supported by the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The opposition-led Western Cape was the only province that voted against it.

Opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance, Economic Freedom Fighters, Inkatha Freedom Party and the Freedom Front Plus, rejected the NHI bill, saying it was an "electioneering" program of the ANC and was "unaffordable," reported local media.

Since it was introduced in 2019, the bill has also aroused critical comments from the medical profession, the private healthcare industry, medical aid schemes and other stakeholders, according to local media. Enditem

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