Gauteng Department of Health cuts funding from Edenvale Care Centre
“It is disappointing to have received this news so suddenly, to have been so happy and strong a short time ago, and now be in dire straits."
After reaching some financial stability earlier this year, Edenvale Care Centre Hospice received a hard blow after the Gauteng Department of Health told them it would not receive funding.
On March 15, the NPO received a letter from the department informing it that its funding application to provide palliative care services for the 2024/2025 financial year was unsuccessful.
In its letter to the centre, the department said the organisation did not meet the requirements for NPO funding.
The department did not state the requirements in the letter.
The manager of the centre, Marlene Hooper, said volunteer doctors Dr Anne and Pierre Marais, the anchors of the NPO, were with her when she received the notice.
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Hooper said she was devastated at receiving the news.
“It’s left such a terrible and nasty feeling inside of me,” she explained.
Hooper said after receiving the news, she burst into tears. She highlighted that it has been extremely emotional and stressful for her.
“I haven’t been able to sleep properly. I wake up in the middle of the night and start worrying and thinking of ways to save money or make items last longer,” she said.
In her opinion, the provincial department is out of funds or has access to limited funds and, as a result, is trying to save costs by not paying organisations reliant on them.
Despite the bad news, Hooper is adamant the care centre’s doors will not close.
“Even without the department’s funding, we will survive. We will make a plan to keep looking after patients and keep running,” she said.
Hooper questioned that without the 13-bed facility, where would many of the patients brought in from government hospitals be treated and cared for?
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“The care centre provides patients, who often have nowhere else to go, a form of dignity. It gives them a chance of recovery and, sometimes, hope for a better tomorrow. We have to ensure it is their best.”
Besides continuing to care for the patients, Hooper said the centre’s doors must stay open so the 17 staff members could keep their jobs.
In response to the notice, Hooper said she tried to phone and email the department to get answers, but all of her attempts met with silence.
Before receiving the notice, Hooper said the department provided funding for the previous six months. This amount accumulated to R386 000 or about R64 333.33 per month then.
“It is disappointing to receive this news so suddenly, to have been so happy and strong a short time ago, and now in dire straits.
“It is saddening for everyone at the care centre to have worked so hard only to receive this news.”
Calling on the community, Hooper appealed to businesses interested in partnering with the centre to make contact.
She said that as an NPO, they have nothing to hide, and potential partners are welcome to look through everything.
Similarly, Hooper appealed to the community for any support – financial, food donations or good quality second-hand clothing they could resell.
Food items the centre needs include mealie meal, long-life milk, margarine, cooking oil, tinned mixed vegetables, tinned tomato and onion mix, rice, chicken or beef soup powder, tea and coffee, Mabela or porridge, fresh vegetables, stewing beef, mince and chicken.
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Some essential items they need include Vaseline, Dettol toilet spray, toilet paper, disinfectant hand soap, refuse bags, large freezer bags, medium-size adult nappies (Softi brand), linen savers and gloves.
Hooper said besides calling on the community, the care centre will continue hosting fundraising markets in partnership with the South African National Blood Services.
“It took us a year to build the care centre up to a place of strength and stability. We need to remain positive that everything will work out.”
A request for comment was sent to the Gauteng Department of Health on March 19, requesting comment by 10:00 on March 22.
At the time of going to print, no comment was received.
