DA North West rejects misaligned Health budget
31 July 2024
Honourable Speaker,
Today, we consider the fundamental freedom of the residents of North West. Enshrined in Chapter 2, Section 27 of our Constitution, it is stated that:
“(1) Everyone has the right to have access to –
health care services, including reproductive health care;
…
(2) The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights.
(3) No one may be refused emergency medical treatment.”
This is but one of the many rights that Helen Suzman fought tirelessly for against the apartheid government, where she stood fast as the only member of the Progressive Party in Parliament for 13 years.
When we today consider the budget vote on Health, we must ask ourselves one core question: “Does the budget advance the right of residents of North West to have access to health care services?”
The Department of Health informed the portfolio committee that it intends to make provision for eight programmes in the 2024/2025 budget. These programmes are:
Administration: R1 162 269 000.00
This budget relates to the approved organisational structure. As such, there is not much that can be done regarding this allocation at this stage. There are critical vacancies that must be filled in order to ensure the provision of Health Care Services to NW residents. As such, the DA will vote to approve the first Budget Vote, namely Administration.
District Health Services: R8 205 961.00
This budget vote is reasonable, considering the availability of funds. As such, the DA will vote to approve the second Budget Vote, namely District Hospital Services.
Emergency Medical Services: R502 621 000.00
I must voice my concern about this vote. During deliberations, the Portfolio Committee was informed that a minimum of 437 ambulances are needed to ensure the rendering of emergency medical services to residents of North West. Currently, the Department only owns 128 ambulances, of which only 64 are in running condition. This means we have an 85% shortage of available ambulances in the province. The Department’s proposal to address this shortfall, is to lease 100 ambulances during this and the coming financial year. Surely, this cannot be seen as a sustainable solution to the problem and will only be a temporary solution. The Department will need to re-apply its mind to this vote and present a sustainable plan with timelines to the committee on how it intends to address the ambulance shortage in North West. The intended budget does not find a way forward for better access to health care for residents in North West and inherently denies residents access to emergency medical treatment; a contravention of Section 27(3) of the Constitution.
As such, the DA will vote against the approval of the third Budget Vote, namely Emergency Medical Services.
Provincial Hospital Services: R2 365 646 000.00
This budget vote is reasonable, considering the availability of funds. As such, the DA will vote to approve the fourth Budget Vote, namely District Hospital Services.
Central Hospital Services: R2 520 730 000.00
This budget vote is reasonable, considering the availability of funds. As such, the DA will vote to approve the fifth Budget Vote, namely Central Hospital Services.
Health Science and Training: R290 352 000.00
It is unclear how this budget vote was informed. According to the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa, there were approximately 20 000 unemployed nurses in May 2023. Of this total, 500 nurses were available and ready to be hired in the North West Province. The Department needs to reconsider this Budget Vote, as it does not speak to the reality on the ground. A majority of this vote could be better allocated to Emergency Medical Services or Health Care Support Services.
This vote is overbudgeted and not in line with the reality on the ground. As such, the DA will be voting against the approval of the sixth Budget Vote: Health Science and Training.
Health Care Support Services: R766 650 000.00
This vote is severely underbudgeted. Failure to properly budget this vote is a root cause leading to patient dissatisfaction, improper medical care, and patient death. It is no use building shiny hospitals and clinics, fully staffing them, but not being able to provide patients with medication. The days where a patient is sent home after breaking his leg with only bandages and Panado’s will stop under this 7th Administration.
As such, we, as the DA, cannot, in good conscience, support this Budget Vote. We will vote against the adoption of the seventh Budget Vote: Health Care Support Services.
Health Facilities Maintenance: R707 565 000.00
There must be an emphasis shift from the building of new facilities and upgrading of existing facilities, to the maintenance of existing facilities. We must ensure that all existing facilities are running optimally and that any backlog in maintenance is addressed as soon as possible. We cannot continue building new hospitals and clinics, while existing ones are left to fall apart. Maintenance of these facilities would be a low hanging fruit, as it places a lesser strain on the already strained budget and ensures the maximum number of North West residents feel the positive impact.
Due to this misalignment in the budget vote, the DA will vote against the adoption of the eighth Budget Vote, namely Health Facilities Maintenance.
Although our focus today is the Budget Vote, we must emphasise that there are a plethora of administrative issues in this department, as well as a lack of morale and discipline by employees directly interacting with the public.
We look forward to bettering the lives of North West residents and working with the MEC and Department to achieve this. However, we cannot only meet one another in portfolio sittings. The lack of responsiveness by the MEC and officials must receive urgent attention. It cannot be that I sent an urgent email to the MEC regarding a critical patient on the 19th of July, and today still have not received a response. We must see responsiveness from all officials and public office bearers.
We, as the DA, stand for Constitutionalism and the Rule of Law. We will continue to fight to ensure the unfreedoms weighing down the residents of North West are removed, and that they are able to enjoy their freedom of access to health care; and enjoy it with dignity.
Issued by Hendriette van Huyssteen, DA North West Provincial Spokesperson: Health, 31 July 2024
