Value embedded in health budget, MEC announces
A total of R1,8 billion which was initially allocated to fight Covid-19 had not been used, and would be used to increase the allocation for the current financial year.
This was announced by Health MEC, Phophi Ramathuba, as she tabled the budget recently.
“For the financial year 2021/22, an amount of R1,8 billion has been allocated to assist in our efforts to fight and defeat the Covid-19 pandemic. We made a commitment last year, that we are going to fight Covid-19 through good governance and accountability. Today, we can report that we are one of those provinces that never suffered serious challenges when it came to PPE shortages.”
Ramathuba says this is evidenced by having fewer healthcare workers infected and succumbing to Covid-19 complications.
“We can also report with confidence that the Phase One Auditor-General Report on PPE procurement had no unfavourable findings.
“We are confident that all the reports, when they are finally concluded and released, will confirm what we have been saying all along about fighting Covid-19 through good governance and accountability.”
According to Ramathuba, the funding for the health services is still a challenge as the allocated funds do not fully address the healthcare needs of the people of the province.
She says the improvement on the management of accruals achieved on the 2019/20 financial year is under threat as a result of this declining budget allocation.
“We are, however, pleased by the support we get from the provincial government in gradually stabilising the budget of health in the province. This department will also continue to practice prudent financial management to ensure that there is value for money in the utilisation of this budget.”
