Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has announced a major boost for the country's public healthcare sector. Picture: Jairus Mmutle/GCIS
Image: Jairus Mmutle/GCIS
Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has announced a major boost for South Africa’s public health system with the approval of over R1.78 billion to employ healthcare professionals, and an additional R1.3 billion for hospital essentials including beds, mattresses, and linen.
“Early this year the country woke up to widespread dissatisfaction about the employment of healthcare professionals, especially doctors in the midst of shortage in the public healthcare system,” said Motsoaledi.
He said the Department of Health had previously been hamstrung by “budgetary constraints brought by consistent austerity measures applied over a decade”.
However, following the national budget tabled on March 12, the National Health Council has approved the advertisement of 1 200 posts for doctors, 200 for nurses, and 250 for other healthcare roles.
“The Human Resources Units will soon commence with recruitment processes once all logistics have been finalised,” he confirmed.
In addition to addressing the human resource crisis, Motsoaledi announced an investment in basic hospital necessities, highlighting the stark contrast between private and public healthcare experiences.
“One of the most embarrassing experiences the public health sector had to endure is the shortage of simple things that will make the stay of patients a worthwhile experience,” he said.
The Council has approved the procurement of 1.4 million items, including 25,000 hospital beds at R725 million, 80,000 mattresses (R38.7 million), 76,525 bassinets for newborns (R309.5 million), and 1.25 million linen items such as bed sheets and pillows (R273 million).
Motsoaledi referenced the now-infamous case at Mahikeng Hospital, where babies were placed in cardboard boxes due to the lack of bassinets. “We remember with a sense of shame how babies were put in cardboard boxes,” he said.
On the issue of oxygen supply, Motsoaledi revealed delays in installing oxygen-generating PSA plants in 55 hospitals.
The project was initially assigned to the Independent Development Trust (IDT), but due to “persistent media reports about possible corruption and irregularities,” it has now been reassigned to the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
He added that the Department was also exploring the possibility of assigning some hospital infrastructure maintenance to the DBSA.
Motsoaledi further announced the review of outdated human resources policies which, he said, have created unnecessary costs and even “contributed to the undermining of the public sector’s ability to deliver quality services”.
A 10-member review committee has been appointed, including senior academics and policy experts. “We are determined to turn things around,” he said.