GAUTENG PRIVATE WARDS SHOULD BE CLOSED

I agree with the plea by Professor Ken Huddle, head of medicine at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, to close the Folateng private wards in Gauteng public hospitals.

His plea is contained in a letter signed by himself and 16 colleagues to be published in the May edition of the SA Medical Journal, where they describe severely ill patients turned away from hospitals while Folateng beds lie empty.

The Folateng wards run at low capacity, make huge losses and use resources that are desperately needed for public patients.

According to a report by the Gauteng Legislature's Health Committee, the Folateng wards in four Gauteng public hospitals ran at a loss of about R40 million in 2012

R30 million was lost at the 127 bed Folateng unit at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Hospital, which had R42 million revenue but R72 million in expenses.

Folateng wards at the Helen Joseph, Sebokeng and Pretoria West hospitals also made losses.

My estimate is that more than R500 million has been lost in this failed experiment over 10 years.

I have repeatedly called for a forensic audit of these wards which should be closed as soon as possible.

Statement issued by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, April 10 2014

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