The provincial health department has allocated more than R14-billion over the next three years to recruit doctors, nurses and general staff – particularly for rural clinics and hospitals.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said there had been much concern over the department’s limited workforce and the pressure this placed on what staff there were at the province’s clinics and hospitals.
“We want to improve healthcare in the province, and as such 60% of the budget is going towards hiring clinical staff who will focus on the core business – staff that the department cannot operate fully without, namely doctors, nurses and ambulance practitioners,” said Kupelo.
He said the department had in the past had to deal with severe staff shortages resulting in several complaints from the public.
With the new developments, Kupelo said the department was ready to implement the new organogram aimed at “accelerating” the provision of quality healthcare in the province.
“We have also begun with rehabilitating dilapidated infrastructure in the province because they are not attractive to the young doctors, nurses and specialists,” he said, adding the new doctors would be spread throughout the province, with Mthatha having already received a number of specialists.
He said the recruitment would include general workers such as laundry workers, mortuary attendants and administrative clerks. “We also want to address the issue of the nurse-patient ratio. That will ensure that operations at all our health centres are up to standard. A few millions will be spent on additional staff such as drivers, cleaners, porters and operational managers,” he said.
Kupelo said the department planned to implement the new structure at the beginning of next month after consultation with internal stakeholders.
He said a complete revamp of the department could be expected over the next three years, adding that already a number of hospitals had been built from scratch across the province.
He said hospitals like Mjanyane in Engcobo and Nessie Knight in Qumbu would receive priority as these were in a severe state and needed urgent attention.
Recently, the Dispatch reported on the shocking state of the province’s Emergency Medical Service (EMS) bases, which Kupelo said would also be upgraded. A number of hospitals would see modern medical equipment being installed, he added.
In Mqanduli’s Ncwanguba village an R18-million health facility had been built by the department, while in Port St Johns an emergency centre that cost the same amount had been completed.
Kupelo said the provincial government had been adversely affected by the legal claims filed against the health department and that these improvements would minimize those risks.
The Dispatch reported in 2015 that medical negligence claims lodged against provincial hospitals by patients rocketed from R166-million in 2009 to R3.8-billion by 2014.
“The department will also focus on recruiting midwives and orthopedics, the areas mostly targeted by lawyers,” he said. — ziphon@dispatch.co.za