By Robert Hart, Staff Reporter 
Golding, Johnson and Whiteman
THE NATIONAL Health Fund (NHF) Act, 2003, was passed in the Senate on Thursday, after a marathon debate, five amendments, and an assurance from the Government that other health conditions and diseases may eventually be added to the current list of 14.
Thursday's five-hour sitting of the Upper House was most notably marked by the contributions of Senators Anthony Johnson, Leader of Opposition Business, and Bruce Golding (also of the Opposition), both of whom raised questions about the "restrictive" provisions of the Bill.
Senator Johnson was adamant that, with about 600 persons being diagnosed with kidney disease each year, that condition should have been included in the schedule of specified diseases and specified medical conditions. At the same time, Senator Golding questioned the exclusion of respiratory illnesses, HIV/AIDS and certain cancers.
"Why are we being so restrictive in coverage?" Golding asked.
But Burchell Whiteman, Information Minister and Leader of Government Business, noted that as the health fund grows and "the analysis is done", the make-up of the schedule would be looked at again. He also pointed out that the World Bank has already assured the Government of a US$16 million grant to deal specifically with HIV/AIDS.
He added: "I don't want us to end on a note where, because I have not and I can't give an undertaking in this Chamber that kidney disease will be an item added ...that, because we don't do this, somehow we have failed the nation and we are not sensitive to the needs of the people. Because we are."
The difficulty, he said, was the limited resources and myriad of diseases affecting citizens.
On the request of Senator Johnson, Senator Whiteman indicated he would write to Health Min-ister John Junor, outlining the Opposi-tion's concerns. The Minister's response, he added, would be forwarded to the Opposition.
But Senator Golding was also critical of the lack of information provided on the financial projections for the cost of the NHF, as well as the need for amendments to the National Insurance Act. He noted that, at present, there is no provision allowing National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions to be diverted from the National Insurance Fund for placement in the NHF.
"You can't pinch the money out of the fund, the law won't allow you to do that. Simple and plain as that," he said.
Senator Whiteman acknowledged the legal ramifications of diverting the expected $800 million in NIS contributions, but noted that the required amendments to the Bill would be tabled in the Senate soon. He explained that the Government had decided it would be imprudent to amend the National Insurance Act (to require finances to be diverted to the NHF) if the health fund had not yet been established legislatively.
The NHF Act will now be returned to the House of Representatives for further deliberations before coming into law.
