Gauteng health department is on the road to recovery

The previously troubled Gauteng health department has achieved an unqualified audit report for the previous financial year.

The auditor-general concluded that the department’s annual financial statements fairly presented the results of its operations and financial position, according to the modified cash system principles.

“This outcome demonstrates the resilience of the department and its employees to do better and improve against all odds,” health MEC Bandile Masuku said. “We attribute this milestone to a number of interventions that included improvement in internal controls while adhering to the Public Finance Management Act.

“It is important to note that this audit was the most gruelling as the department served as a pilot for the implementation of the amended Audit Profession Act.

“Our department is among only two health departments in the country to obtain an unqualified audit opinion on their annual financial statements. This is no small feat.”

Masuku said although it was not a clean audit, it was worth celebrating after years of bad publicity dogged the department following the Life Esidimeni tragedy, in which at least 144 patients died after being irregularly outsourced to unqualified and ill-equipped non-governmental organisations by senior health officials.

The department was also subjected to another tragedy when its head office in the Bank of Lisbon building in Joburg was gutted by a fire which claimed the life of a firefighter.

Meanwhile, preparations are under way to put the control of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of both Joburg and Ekurhuleni under the provincial health department. Masuku said the current practice of subcontracting these services to municipalities had proven to be inefficient and costly.

Gauteng was the only province where EMS was not under provincial control. The new approach would result in more resources available to be deployed when there was an emergency.

Instead of firefighters and ambulance personnel being confined to a particular area, they would be able to go to any part of the province and perform joint operations.

West Rand health facilities

The services provided by staff at all West Rand district health facilities impressed Gauteng Premier David Makhura on recently unannounced visits.

“My overall feedback on healthcare is that the West Rand district is functioning much, much better and their health services are organised well.

“The teams from the regional and district hospitals work with the 80 clinics,” Makhura said.

The premier, accompanied by health MEC Bandile Masuku and government officials, visited Leratong Hospital in Kagiso and the Mogale City Clinic in Krugersdorp. He was amazed by the staff’s determination to deliver efficient services.

Makhura has made other unannounced visits to Sebokeng Hospital in the Vaal, Jubilee Hospital in Hammanskraal and a number of clinics since last week.

He said he was satisfied with the situation at Leratong Hospital, where he found service was considerably better after the hospital had been reorganised. The hospital staff told Makhura and Masuku the hospital had implemented lean management principles and set targets for themselves.

But the premier expressed concern about safety at hospitals.

He gave the provincial health department until September to appoint chief executive officers for all hospitals in the province. This would help to drive the changes necessary to ensure improved healthcare.

Masuku said the department would also address overcrowding and cleanliness at all of the province’s hospitals as efficient healthcare needed a clean and hygienic environment.

“I have seen some improvements, but I want to see more in 12 months’ time,” Makhura said.

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