NO GLASSES BECAUSE SUPPLIERS NOT PAID

Unpaid companies are refusing to supply eye glasses to Gauteng public hospitals, worsening the backlog of 5798 patients on the waiting list for spectacles.

This information is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Ntombi Mekgwe in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.

Helen Joseph hospital has 2000 patients who will wait for four months from diagnosis to provision of spectacles.

At Tembisa Hospital, 696 patients will wait eight months, and 316 patients at the Pretoria West Hospital will wait an incredible two years.

Patients at the Tshwane District Hospital will also wait two years, but the hospital says resignedly that there "no waiting list because there is no use recording patients given the challenges".

The Johannesburg Metro Health District and the West Rand District Outreach Program claim no waiting list as "ready made spectacles are issued there and then and all other refractions are referred".

This is not the case at the Ekurhuleni Health District Outreach where 550 people wait for three months because of delayed payments to suppliers. It is very distressing that so many people miss out on the gift of clear sight because the department can't pay bills on time.

I hope that the payments problem is sorted out soon.

Statement by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, December 4 2011

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