GAUTENG HEALTH BUDGET R3.7 BILLION SHORT OF REQUIREMENTS

This year's R20.072 billion Gauteng Health Budget is R3.7 billion short of institutional budgetary requirements.

This was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu at yesterday's meeting of the Health Committee of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature.

Academic hospitals face the severest crunch, getting budgets below what they spent last year.

Chris Hani Baragwanath gets R1.919 billion this year, which is R152 million less than it spent in 2009/2010.

Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital gets R1.403 billion compared to R1.472 billion spent previously, and Steve Biko Academic Hospital get R1.128 billion, which is R103 million less than its previous spend of R1.231 billion.

The problem is that Gauteng is not getting a sufficient share from the national treasury to cope with health demands from its burgeoning population and for expensive specialist services used by many people from other provinces.

It is therefore vital that money is spent efficiently and effectively, and that all fraud and waste is eliminated.

Statement by Jack Bloom MPL, DA Gauteng Health Spokesman, May 5 2010

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