The shortage of medicine in Gauteng’s public health facilities is going to be a thing of the past, promised Gauteng Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe when tabling the department’s R24, 5 billion budget for the year 2012/13 in the legislature this morning.
To ensure constant supply and availability of medication in public hospitals and clinics, 1, 4 billion Rand has been allocated towards procurement of medicine and a bulk of it will be allocated to Medical Supplies Depot.
In order to pre-empt and mitigate shortage of chronic medication, the department has obtained permission from the National Department to procure some drugs from additional suppliers.
“The department has reviewed maintenance contracts in order to minimise break down of medical equipment. To this end, we have allocated R427 million to purchase medical equipment for our hospitals in 2012/13,” said MEC Mekgwe.
Another priority for the department in the current financial year is Re-engineering Primary Health Care. The budget allocation for the strengthening of District Health Services has been increased by 16% to R8, 1 billion.
“In our endeavour to strengthen Primary Health Care services we will continue to extend hours of operation to 24 hours at Zola, Stretford, Empilisweni, Chiawelo, and Eersterus Community Health Centres. This will ease the pressure and long queues at neighbouring hospitals,” said MEC.
She added that ten health posts will be established, these will serve blocks of households in communities, focusing on health promotion, prevention of infectious and chronic diseases as well as referral to appropriate services.
“Promotion of healthy lifestyle by emphasising healthy diet, physical exercise, stopping smoking, responsible use of alcohol and responsible sexual behaviour will be defining features of our Community Based Services,” said MEC Mekgwe.
In order to boost the number of healthcare workers, reduce workloads and ensure that patients receive the best care possible, the department continues to train doctors and nurses.
“Since the year 1998, we have sent 30 students to Cuba to be trained as medical doctors, out of these 29 graduated and 26 remain in our system. In September this year, we will send 100 students to Cuba to be trained as medical doctors,” she said.
By the end of January 2012, 725 nurses had completed their four year training programme. These nurses have been deployed to various hospitals and clinics through- out the province.
The department is currently re-furbishing the Nursing College residences in Gauteng and R12 million has been set aside for this purpose and also monitoring student performance at all our Nursing Colleges in order to improve the pass rate. To this end a Clinical Department will be re-introduced at all Nursing Colleges.
MEC Mekgwe also emphasised that by the end of June this year, the department would have finalised appointments of Hospital Boards and the Mental Health Review Boards whose respective terms of office have expired.
“We have ensured that we appoint people with requisite skills so that they add value to governance of our hospitals. These boards will ensure that in pursuit if their fiduciary responsibilities, Chief Executive Officers and hospital managers will be given space to focus on ensuring that quality health services are provided at our facilities,” she said.
Other plans for the year 2012/13 include:
- 110 000 women are targeted for cervical cancer screening and 15 500 women for breast cancer screening.
- Four million people to be tested for HIV.
- 138 800 males to be circumcised.
- Anti-Retroviral Treatment sites to be increased from 355 to 403.
Programmes that have received a budget boost include:
- Budget for HIV and Aids programme has increased by 17% to R1, 9 billion.
- TB programme has been allocated a budget of R213 million.
- Budget allocation for Emergency Services has been increased by 8%, they received R759 million.
- The allocation to Central Hospitals has been increased by 28% to R6,8 billion.
- Provincial hospital services have been allocated R5, 7 billion which is an increase of 23%.
Ensuring public health users in Gauteng, MEC Mekgwe said, “We are turning the corner, we are stabilising service delivery and we are on course towards achieving the goals that we have set for ourselves.”
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
