Women, youth and people with disabilities cooperatives will benefit from the Gauteng Health’s investment of over R30 million towards brand new linen for hospitals and clinics that are currently facing acute shortages and also to start a Gauteng provincial government linen bank.
The department has faced, over the past year, an acute shortage of linen which included bed linen, doctors' linen for theatre use, patient clothing and other protective clothing control linen.
The government instructed the health department to urgently attend to the crisis and acquire linen to curb the shortage from escalating further', leading to cancellation of scheduled theatre procedures, deterioration of quality of patient care and a demeaning of patient rights.
Accordingly, the department moved to urgently invest just up to R30 million in linen procurement from various providers, including women's cooperatives, Department of Labour and other local companies. To date over R10 million has been spent towards replenishing linen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital as well as R3,3 million and R4,3 million for the new Zola /Jabulani and Natalspruit Hospitals, respectively.
Furthermore, as a medium to long term solution, the provincial Budget Council approved the establishment of a 'linen bank' as a measure to, (i) improve its linen management model, (ii) depart from old order RSA/TPA stamped linen, and (iii) introduce a new high quality Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) branded linen.
As a starting point about 95 000 pieces of linen (representing just under ten percent) have been ordered as initial capital input for the linen stock for the public health facilities in Gauteng. An additional ninety percent is currently out on tender for delivery over the MTEF period.
The department has already taken delivery of 99% of the bed linen stock and delivery of the rest of the ordered stock is expected in the current and/or next quarter, but before end of this (2013/14) financial year. Much importance has been placed on value for money and quality when sourcing linen and this will be the sustained moving forward.
Notes for editors:
Procurement has been in terms of applicable provisions of the PFMA and Treasury regulations from various sources including the following women cooperatives currently supplying linen to our facilities:
- Abakwethu Projects
- Amafu Cleaning & Multi-Purpose
- Amaji Clothing & Manufacturing
- Basadi Mahata Mmoho Primary Cooperative
- Botle Ba Bahole sewing & Multi-Purpose
- CTU’s Manufacturing Primary Cooperative
- Fepang Mahlo Arts/Crafts & Cooperative
- Emporor Commodities
- Mahlasedi Women’s Primary Cooperative
- Makanyane Agriculture & Multi-purpose
- Mano Lesedi Projects Primary
- Siyasabela Clothing Manufacturing
- Tshepang Sewing Primary
- Department of Labour service providers
Supply of linen for Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital once off was awarded to the following:
- Aspigon 267 cc
- Jasuki Enterprise cc
- Botle Ba Bohle Sewing and Multipurpose
- CTU’s Manufacturing Primary Cooperative Limited
- Department of Labour Service products
- Aspidus 227 cc
- LSS Laundry Services and Supplies cc t/a Indlovu Manufacturers
- P and T Sales cc
- Tshireletso Medical Supply
- Ahlume Cooperatives Limited
- Basadi Mahata Mooho Ekurhuleni
