Department of Health outlines R24.6b budget

This amount consists of a R20.3b equitable share, R4.1b conditional grants and R220.6m own revenue, and is an increase from the 2023/24 budget of R23.8b. Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba delivered the budget speech at the Polokwane Council Chamber on March 26 and indicated that the biggest chunk will go towards the strengthening of primary healthcare and district hospital delivery systems at R12.8b which is 52.9% of the total budget.

The amount of R3b has been allocated for regional, tuberculosis and psychiatric hospitals. With the region being a malaria area, malaria control has been allocated R87.9m in equitable share. Furthermore, R72m has been allocated within the conditional grant framework in order to prevent and control malaria in the affected areas of this province.

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Comprehensive HIV/aids programme funding including TB services has been provided at R2b. An amount of R1.1b has been set aside for the running of emergency medical services in the province while tertiary services in the province, have been provided for at R2.2b. These services continue to be provided in the Pietersburg and Mankweng hospitals.

An amount of R848.2m has been allocated to the Health Infrastructure Programme. This allocation will be used mainly for hospital revitalisation, clinic building and upgrades. “To maintain the stock level at our clinics, health centres and hospitals across the province, R1.7b of medicine allocation has been provided. “This includes an amount of R615.9m for the provision of antiretroviral drugs to HIV positive patients and new intake, and R347.2m for vaccines to reduce infant and child mortality,” she concluded.