NHI going back to Labour Ministry for 2022
Premier Andrew Fahie has disclosed that the National Health Insurance (NHI) portfolio will once again be reassigned to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour & Immigration.
NHI was first reassigned to that Ministry back in 2020 to allow the Ministry of Health & Social Development, which is overseen by Carvin Malone, to increase its focus on healthcare during the COVID-19 era.
As a result of the extended reassignment, the Labour Ministry — led by Vincent Wheatley — is receiving the largest share of the territory’s recurrent allocations — some $51.2 million or 14.3 percent of the budgetary allocations.
According to Premier Andrew Fahie, the reassignment of the NHI to the Labour Ministry is part of his government’s “streamlining of systems”.
Fahie said his administration was previously pumping more than $40 million per year into the NHI scheme, which he argued will bankrupt the government if the programme continues in its current form.
He had also advocated for a reduction of the dependency that he said most local healthcare providers have on the NHI.
Premier Fahie, in the meantime, said the allocation to the Ministry of Health & Social Development in the 2022 budget is $34.2 million or 9.57 percent of the recurrent budget.
The leader of government’s business said the Health Ministry has had a “lion share” of challenges during 2021, as they did in 2020.
Premier Fahie said this was due in part to the ever-changing dynamics of having to anticipate, plan, prepare and respond to the many issues of COVID-19.
As a result of the extended reassignment, the Labour Ministry — led by Vincent Wheatley — is receiving the largest share of the territory’s recurrent allocations — some $51.2 million or 14.3 percent of the budgetary allocations.
According to Premier Andrew Fahie, the reassignment of the NHI to the Labour Ministry is part of his government’s “streamlining of systems”.
Fahie said his administration was previously pumping more than $40 million per year into the NHI scheme, which he argued will bankrupt the government if the programme continues in its current form.
He had also advocated for a reduction of the dependency that he said most local healthcare providers have on the NHI.
Premier Fahie, in the meantime, said the allocation to the Ministry of Health & Social Development in the 2022 budget is $34.2 million or 9.57 percent of the recurrent budget.
The leader of government’s business said the Health Ministry has had a “lion share” of challenges during 2021, as they did in 2020.
Premier Fahie said this was due in part to the ever-changing dynamics of having to anticipate, plan, prepare and respond to the many issues of COVID-19.
