Patients at 26 out of 34 Gauteng public hospitals have suffered from food shortages since the beginning of this year, it was revealed this week.

This is according to Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply in the legislature to DA shadow health MEC Jack Bloom.

The hospitals with low food levels in Pretoria were Steve Biko, Tshwane district, Jubilee, Tshwane rehab, Pretoria West, George Mukhari, Bronkhorstspruit, and Cullinan Care and Rehab Centre.

“George Mukhari lacked chicken, fish and frozen vegetables for four months,” says Bloom.

“Milk was unavailable from February to May, and bread was out of stock for a week in May.”

He says Mamelodi Hospital was the only well-managed hospital in the Tshwane corridor.

“Hospitals lucky enough not to have food shortages include Far East Rand, Mamelodi, Pholosong, South Rand, Heidelberg, Kopanong, and Sterkfontein. Although Weskoppies said it did not have shortages, it had to make requests for quotations (RFQs) and alternative arrangements to ensure food for their patients.”

He says the shortages were mostly due to suppliers not being paid, contracts expiring, or companies not delivering.

“It was so bad for two hospitals, Bronkhorstspruit and Lenasia South, [that] they had to borrow food from other hospitals!”

“The Kalafong hospital says in some instances, patients don’t get meals, which will lead to hospital-induced malnutrition in the long run. Their food shortages include dairy products, processed and frozen vegetables, fish, and chicken. They only have a daily amount of R2 000 in petty cash, which is too little for 700 patients.

“Steve Biko also had to use petty cash to buy milk and used RFQs to get chicken after the supplier withdrew from the contract.”

Bloom says the food shortages could be blamed on the Gauteng Health Department’s payment system.

“The department has claimed their new multi-vendor approach would ensure reliable food supplies to all hospitals. However, it will not help if they do not drastically improve payments within 30 days. Their non-payment problem is deep-rooted and chronic, with only 41% paid within due time.”

Gauteng Health’s approach

On Thursday last week, Gauteng Health announced that it was ‘in transition’ to resolve food supply challenges through ‘a multi-vendor approach’.

Gauteng Health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba says the process of instituting a multi-vendor approach was in response to supply constraints for certain food items at various health facilities.

“This approach is at an advanced stage,” he adds.

“The department had reviewed the previous practice of contracting a single supplier for a broad range of items, which had proved to be the main contributing factor to inconsistent food supply to hospitals.

“The process to appoint multiple suppliers is in its final stages to ensure that patient care is not compromised by service providers who lack the required capacity to meet the needs of facilities.

“Since the beginning of the year, some health facilities have faced food supply challenges in varying degrees involving items such as dairy products, red meat, fish, bread, and vegetables,” says Modiba.

“Despite these challenges, the department wants to reassure families of patients and the public that in instances where a specific food item was unavailable, other arrangements were made to ensure a sustained diet for patients. Dumplings, mashed potatoes, and bread would be served in place of rice, pap, and meal rice, while for the replacement of chicken, pilchards, macaroni and cheese, and beans would be used.”

Modiba says further institutions were given the green light, on an interim basis, to procure food items on RFQ to ensure an unrestricted and sustained food supply for patients.

“A few hospitals faced untimely payments to suppliers. However, the main issue remains the limited capacities of contracted service providers, who are unable to keep up with the facilities’ demands in terms of the orders being made.

“We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure that patient care is in no way affected during this transitional phase,” he adds.