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{
    "id": 354878,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/354878/?format=api",
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    "content": "Obviously, we appreciate the role the NHIF has played up to now and we look forward to the point when they will provide us with universal health care scheme. However, that dream cannot be achieved as long as we continue to have such high fees paid as penalties. I happened to have the privilege of serving in the Local Authorities and Funds Accounts Committee (LAFAC) in the last Parliament. It was a committee which was dealing with all the local authorities and the biggest debts were found in NSSF and NHIF. This was not even the principal amount but the penalties. What has happened is that the Government has been financing local authorities and much of the money just goes to pay the NHIF in terms of penalties. So, the effect of these penalties does not just go and does not affect the people we are talking about who are self employed; it affects our local authorities and many of the departments in the Government. Therefore, that is why it is important that we look at the current charges which the NHIF is charging but more importantly, we look at what these high charges have done to individuals and corporations. This trend has created a loophole where people who have high debts look for shortcuts and these shortcuts are obviously engaging in corruption. They collude with staff who work for the corporation and through that kind of collusion and corruption, the NHIF keeps losing more money. What we are saying is, if this Motion is considered and passed, we are going to get more people joining because, if the rates are below bank rates, other than defaulting, they would rather borrow from a bank and pay. So, it is important that we consider this."
}