The budget for the Gauteng health department has increased by 15,8% to improve health services for the province’s growing population, provincial minister Brian Hlongwa said on Friday.
”The growth in the budget is a reflection of the increasing demand for quality health services,” he said.
Hlongwa announced the 2007/08 budget of R12,52-billion, an increase from last year’s R10,4-billion, at the Gauteng provincial legislature.
He said the budget hike for the financial year was caused by population growth across provincial and national borders.
In Gauteng, visits to primary health clinics had increased from 12,5-million to 15,2-million people in 2006.
”When you consider the escalating costs of medical care, we are likely to witness greater numbers of the population turning to the public sector for their health needs,” he said.
Of the R12,52-billion budget, R338-million will be used to employ and retain skilled staff while R120-million will be used to refurbish pharmacies at hospitals, including Helen Joseph and Kalafong.
A further R3,19-billion will be used to open eight new clinics, including the Endayeni Clinic in Tembisa and the Mandela-Sisulu Clinic in Orlando West.
Provincial hospitals will receive R3-billion, 8% more than last year, while central hospitals such as Chris Hani-Baragwanath and Pretoria Academic will receive R3,6-billion.
”The HIV and Aids programme has been allocated a 9% increase to the tune of R577-million,” said Hlongwa.
Clinics in Soshanguve and Atteridgeville, as well as the Dr Yusuf Dadoo and Pretoria West hospitals, are to receive extended antiretroviral treatment.
Emergency services will receive R30,75-million to be used on the replacement of vehicles.
Hlongwa said the department will soon put out requests for proposals for the introduction of ”smart cards”.
The card will contain the patient’s complete medical history, providing doctors and nurses with easy access to records of previous visits.
”The department will soon put out requests for proposals to run pilot projects at selected facilities. The results will be evaluated and followed by a public tender process,” he said. — Sapa