MBOMBELA – A R1 billion increase in the budget for the Department of Health was commended this week as “a progressive decision”.
The budget will only officially be tabled to legislature at the end of the month, but according to spokesman for the premier’s office, Mr Zibonele Mncwango, the increase for 2015/16 brings the total available to the department to R9,9 billion. It constitutes 27 per cent of the total provincial budget. In 2014/15 health was allocated R8,9 billion, an increase from R8,1 billion and totalled 24,6 per cent of the province’s total.
In response to a question posed by ANC MPL, Mr Pat Ngomane, during an oral answering session in legislature on Tuesday of last week, premier Mr David Mabuza outlined the increase in the department’s funding baseline. He said it was a start towards correcting previous allocation shortfalls.
“The advantage is that the department will be able to gradually meet its obligations with minimal additional funding pressures.”
The funds are meant to address the existing staff shortage in the department by training more nurses, handing out more bursaries and employing more medical personnel.
While a moratorium has been placed on the filling of vacant funded posts in all departments, education and health may hire staff as and when required.
“The focus is on staffing the department correctly,” Mabuza said.
The funding is also to allow for the information-and-communication technology connectivity of its facilities and to address budget pressures caused by cost drivers such as medicine and blood.
