Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development has closed down three of its TB hospitals in the province with a view tosave more money and channel resources to where they are needed most.
The three hospitals, Charles Hurwitz TB hospital in Soweto, Tshepong TB hospital in Tshwane and East rand TB hospital in Ekurhuleni were closed last month and TB patients and staff were moved to existing district hospitals.
The department took the decision to close these facilities as they were under utilised over the years with bed occupancy of between 40 to 45%, this is partly attributed to the success of the province's TB campaign.
Currently, the TB cure rate in the province is 80 percent. More and more people are testing for TB and if positive, are completing the six months treatment with the assistance of DOTS supporters.
Another contributory factor for the closure of TB hospitals is that these facilities which were previously known as SANTA hospitals are in a poor physical state due to poor maintenance over the years and the state of the facilities had become inhabitable for both patients and staff.
The closing down of these hospitals entailed the moving and placement of patients and staff to other facilities within the province. Patients from these three hospitals were taken to TB wards at Yusuf Dadoo, South Rand, Pretoria West, Kopanong and Pholosong hospitals. In time, these wards will be created in other hospitals.
Through this initiative, the department will save approximately R3 million a year, which was the amount used to rent these hospitals. This amount excludes other operational costs such as equipment, food and staff salaries.
This much needed income will be used in the department's plans to strengthen primary healthcare as that is where most TB patients are tested and treated. As TB is properly managed at that level, the need for patients to be hospitalised is minimal.
A task team comprising of hospital services directorate, human resources, organised labour organisations, infrastructure, occupational health, environmental health, TB programme and chief executive officers of affected hospitals has been established to oversee the transfer of staff.
The key responsibility of this team is to ensure that the affected staff members are not disadvantaged and TB patients needing hospitalisation continue to receive quality healthcare.
Enquiries:
Mandla Sidu
Cell: 082 773 9013
Department's tuberculosis (TB) cure rate leads to closure of hospitals
Province
