Concerns over migrants’ use of health facilities ‘cannot be wished away’
Parliament's Health Portfolio Committee has warned that the concerns raised by organisations such as Operation Dudula about the provision of health care to undocumented migrants cannot be ignored.
It was responding to concerns from groups like Operation Dudula and March and March, which have been protesting the use of South Africa's public health services by undocumented immigrants.
The organisations argue that undocumented foreign nationals are overburdening the country’s health services.
The committee’s chairperson, Dr. Sibongiseni Dhlomo, briefed the media at Parliament on Thursday.
"The constitution says everyone has a right to health care services, including reproductive health care. These concerns brought in by these citizens cannot be ignored or wished away,” Dhlomo said.
"But maybe we should find an approach to handle them and go forward. And the discussion, therefore, going forward, among other things, will need to address those issues."
Dhlomo added that amendments to outdated laws could clarify who should – and should not – receive government health services.
"The Refugees Act of 1998 also needs some repeal through the bill. There's another one called the Identification Acts. I don't know much about that. I was trying to speak to my home affairs chair this morning. What is the content of this?
“So, some of these acts are very wide and encompassing what some of the people are, in their views, saying. Maybe they should actually have a bit of limitation."
Dhlomo said the Department of Home Affairs also needs to support expediting the amendments to the acts that affect this process.
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