Health gets budget of R14,8 billion
The department of health received a budget of R14,8 billion for the 2015/16 financial year, which was an increase of 0,9% from last year.
POLOKWANE – The department of health received a budget of R14,8 billion for the 2015/16 financial year, which was an increase of 0,9% from last year.
This was revealed in the department’s budget speech in Lebowakgomo last Tuesday.
Health MEC Ishmael Kgetjepe said the budget had been allocated to fund the following key priorities:
• Strengthening district healthcare, which included the re-engineering of primary healthcare.
• The modernisation of tertiary hospital services in the province.
• Comprehensive HIV/aids and sexually transmitted infections (STI) programmes.
• Tuberculosis/multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis control service programmes in the province.
• Emergency medical service (EMS) and planned patient transport.
• Pharmaceuticals services for clinics, community health centres and hospitals.
• Prevention and control of malaria in the affected areas.
• Bursaries for health professionals including the Cuban scholarship.
• Health facilities revitalisation programmes.
The department set aside R8,2 billion towards the strengthening of primary healthcare services.
As part of re-engineering the primary health care system, the department would maintain the 24-hours service on 53 clinics and would also implement and maintain on-call services at 261 clinics, Kgetjepe said.
“To deal with non-communicable diseases affecting our people, we will strengthen ward based outreach teams in 217 wards. District clinical specialists will also be appointed to strengthen services in districts and that includes family physicians, paediatric nurses, obstetrics, gynaecologists and advanced midwives. To increase and improve access to primary healthcare, the department will in this financial year procure twenty mobile clinics,” Kgetjepe said.
The department allocated R1,4 billion to support the provision of tertiary services.
“Mankweng and Polokwane are our two tertiary hospitals. These hospitals must have a full complement of services to deal with referrals from our regional hospitals, be it for major operations or consultations with specialists at these facilities. Our two tertiary hospitals are expected to comply with 80% of the extreme and vital measures of the national score standards. We are currently 50% compliant. Our intention is to be 100% with the 80% of the extreme and vital measures of the national core standards by the end of this financial year,” Kgetjepe said.
The department set aside R586,6 million for the running of EMS in the province including purchasing 100 new ambulances.
The department allocated R1,2 billion to pharmaceutical services, to ensure that there are sufficient medicines in all clinics, community health centres and hospitals.
“The allocation includes funding of R404 million for the provision of anti-retroviral drugs to HIV positive patients and R154 million for vaccines to reduce infant and child mortality. No one in the province should be turned back at our facilities, because there is no medication available,” Kgejtepe said.
The department allocated R324 million towards infrastructure, which is 43,7% less than the last financial year’s allocation.
“In the year 2015/16 we will direct our energies at implementing an aggressive infrastructure maintenance programme, of which 120 health facilities will undergo minor and major refurbishment. The budget allocated R1,1 billion for the compensation of employees of which R60 million is for replacement and appointment of critical staff.
R7,2 million have been set aside through the conditional grant to fund all national health insurance (NHI) related initiatives.
The department is setting aside R130,6 million for bursaries for health professionals, which include R63,3 million for the Cuban scholarship programme.
The budget allocated R36,8 million for TB and multi-drug-resistant TB services in the province by ensuring that people are screened, tested and placed on treatment.
