Minister Joe Phaahla on health budget allocation

21 Feb 2024

Minister of Health, Phaahla welcomes the decision by the National Treasury to favourably consider that the current shrinking budget allocations have a negative impact on the effective functioning of the public health system in the country.

Health received a total of R848 billion over the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This allocation includes R11.6 billion to address the 2023 wage agreement, R27.3 billion for infrastructure, and R1.4 billion for the National Health Insurance grant over the same period.

Additional budget of R3.7 billion has been allocated towards compensation of employees in the sector for the financial year 2024/25 to address the wage bill increase and recruitment of additional staff including nurses and medical doctors.

Minister Phaahla has been in consultation with Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana regarding the implementation of plans by the department to strengthen the health system, including recruitment of additional essential health workers, such as medical doctors and other health professionals.

Although the budget may not address all health service delivery challenges at once, it will go a long way to enable the department to respond to the immediate and key priority needs to strengthen the health system. These include activating vacant but unfunded essential posts.

The Department will, soon, outline the plans with timelines for the recruitment and appointment of health workers, including recently graduated health professionals and unemployed medical doctors.

Statement issued by Mr Foster Mohale, Health Departmental Spokesperson, 21 February 2024