Department of Health financial reports released

The financial performance of the Gauteng Department of Health is continuing to show signs of recovery with the department managing to remain within budget at the end of the third quarter of the 2013/14 financial year, said the MEC for Department of Health Hope Papo.

Papo said “the department’s quarterly financial performance is consistent with the expenditure recorded at the end of the last financial year which ended on the March 31 2013 where the department recorded no over expenditure for the first time in a decade.

“The 2012/13 budget allocation was fully spent by the end of the financial year – with a reported 99% total expenditure. The only area that reported an over expenditure was goods and services which can be attributed to the payment of accruals from previous financial years.”

Papo said that compared to the budgeted payments of the third quarter, the department spent less by 1.3%.

“The financial recovery has been achieved largely as a result of the rigorous implementation of the 2012-14 turnaround strategy which is bringing the department’s books back to balance. Essential medicines availability at the MSD has increased from 75% in the 1st quarter to 82.33% in the quarter under review,” he said.

Papo said that some areas have improved significantly compared to the previous financial year

“There has been a decrease in severe malnutrition cases, diarrhoea and pneumonia cases. “There was an improvement in Vitamin A supplementation for 12 -60 months, male condom distribution rate and anti natal care visits before 20 weeks. TB cure rates have also improved and the introduction of gene-expert machines in 15 hospitals has enabled faster diagnosis and higher detection of TB cases

“Through the implementation of the Turn Around strategy, support systems and risks are continuously being assessed to ensure that governance and service delivery is not compromised,” he said.