Health infrastructure at crisis point

The majority of health infrastructure in the province is at a crisis point and no longer fit for purpose. This according to Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba when delivering her department’s budget vote speech in the Legislative chamber in Lebowakgomo last Thursday.
She said the majority of health infrastructure was ancient and for the immediate future a strategic decision has been taken to re-prioritise for ‘crisis point’ projects such as theatres, laundries, replacement of chiller plants and standby generators. She further stressed that their maintenance has been generally reactive rather than according to a preventative maintenance programme. Due to budgetary constraints, the department can barely meet the 2% recommended budget as a percentage of total budget for maintenance, she explained.
Although the Department of Health’s 2019/20 overall budget has increased from R19,8 billion in 2018/19 to R20,7 billion, Ramathuba stressed that she needed a serious intervention on the budget allocation matter because not only was the compensation of employees the highest in the sector but also in the country at a 74% share of the total budget allocation.
“Given the remaining 26% for goods and services it becomes almost impossible to cover all the service needs. This is worsened by the increasing service demands due to increasing burden of diseases. The department is targeting to collect R194 million in the 2019/20 financial year. This is a 9% increase from the previous year’s target of R177 million,” she said and concluded by saying they would put more effort in achieving the target as they were aware that it would contribute to the funding of health services in the province.

Story: ENDY SENYATSI
>>endy@observer.co.za