Cape Town -The provincial health department has received R832 million for its continued fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as well as R306m to assist with implementation of the vaccine programme from the provincial budget.
During a standing committee meeting scheduled to deliberate on the health budget allocated for the 2021/22 financial year, the department’s chief financial officer, Simon Kaye, also spoke of the R116m made available in the budget for the current financial year.
Kaye said: “The money allocated will fund Covid-19 activities related to staff and facilities, including PPE and field hospitals.”
“In the coming year we are embarking on the largest vaccination programme in the history of the country, with 5.1 million people needing to be vaccinated in the Western Cape alone.
“We are also most likely to face a third and possible fourth wave of the pandemic and this, coupled with the existing quadruple burden of disease, is going to place significant strain on the health system in the coming year,” said Kaye.
Head of health Dr Keith Cloete said: “The third adjustment appropriation Bill is exactly what it says it is. It is quite unusual to come to a committee with two weeks to go to the end of the financial year.”
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said: “This is the money that needs to be utilised between now, March 17, and the end of the financial year on March 31.”
Committee member Rachel Windvogel (ANC) said she was concerned about the slow progress made with regards to the rebuilding of the GF Jooste hospital for Gugulethu and Manenberg.
“The ANC always maintained that the decision to close down GF Jooste Hospital without any immediate plans was blatantly senseless. It resulted in increased service pressures and congestion of the health and emergency services at other facilities.
“More astonishing in this year’s budget is that no allowance is made for increased services, or growing patient numbers, despite the ongoing challenges of patients sleeping on chairs and floors in district hospitals,” said Windvogel.
Committee chairperson Wendy Philander (DA) said: “We welcome the announcement in the budget to avail R75 million to procure additional 500 000 single-shot vaccines to support national government efforts, should suppliers indicate availability to the province.”
Cape Argus