The country’s struggling economy is now a serious threat to the nation’s physical health with the department of health (DoH) in KwaZulu-Natal warning that it is struggling to deliver on its mandate due to severe budget cuts.
The department’s budget has been cut by R17 billion in the past five years.
The MEC for the department Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi made these revelations as she tabled her budget for this financial year at the provincial legislature on Wednesday.
The department has been allocated R53.8 billion for this financial year, the second biggest budget after the KZN department of education.
MPLs raised concerns that the budget is no longer adequate to meet the department’s needs.
The department detailed its objectives of bringing quality healthcare closer to the public, and having to balance that with the pressure coming from threats posed by the ballooning of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Simelane-Mngadi said the financial constraints faced by her department are becoming increasingly severe, with constant budget cuts threatening the ability to fulfil its core mandate.
“Since 2019, the department has lost close to R17 billion, which has been taken away from our baseline.
This situation is severely crippling, and affects the long-term sustainability of this department and its work.
“This chronic underfunding of our healthcare system, which I’ve just alluded to affects many areas of our operations; including our ability to fill many critical posts. It also contributes directly to overcrowded facilities and slow-moving queues,” she said.
The MEC said the dedicated healthcare workers, despite their commitment, end up being stretched very thin. This leads to burnout and diminished capacity to serve the communities effectively, which is a major concern given the sensitive and critical nature of the work they do.
“If we are to meet the healthcare needs of our people, we must urgently address these funding challenges. We have been having continuous engagements with the National Treasury, as well as the National Department of Health, with a view to ensure that we do not reach a crisis point.
“The health of our province must remain a priority and I will not rest until we secure the resources that are necessary to keep our facilities open and functioning effectively,” she said.
Simelane-Mngadi also touched on the pressures faced by the department in the form of diseases.
In the face of a global surge in NCDs, she said, the province has also seen a concerning rise in cases.
The MEC said the number of new diabetes cases increased from about 35 600 in 2021/22 to more than 49 600 in 2022/23; while hypertension cases rose from about 64 000 to more than 78 000 in the same period.
She said this alarming trend, particularly with diabetes mellitus and hypertension, demands immediate and focused action.
“To reverse this trend, we are embarking on a comprehensive strategy that prioritises health promotion and prevention.
“This includes large-scale awareness campaigns to promote physical activity, nutrition, and the early detection and treatment of new cases,” the MEC said.
DA MPL and chairperson of the health portfolio committee Imran Keeka said healthcare is one of the most significant line items in KZN’s budget and despite substantial expenditure, the quality of healthcare services in the province had deteriorated over time.
He said the budget cuts are making it difficult for the department to work.
“In an ideal world there would be infinite sums of money to pursue the department’s endeavours, however, there are limited resources; financial and human.
“The DoH must now operate with a budget impacted by fiscal consolidation cuts but, so have other departments. The DoH needs to establish what it can and can’t do, given the financial constraints and availability.
And then, what it chooses to do, must be done well,” he said.
IFP MPL Ncamisile Nkwanyana, said access to healthcare is a basic human right that is guaranteed by the Constitution.
“The budget allocated to the department is R53 billion, and while the IFP welcomes the budget, we also express concerns. The issue of budget cuts is a big cause for concern. The lack of funds has a dire negative impact on the department’s performance with some problems potentially being put on hold to meet payroll obligations.
We support the MEC’s call for the Treasury to consider relaxing some cost-cutting measures imposed on the department,” she said.
She urged the department to maximise the spending of available funds, saying the spending must be accompanied by the value of cost effectiveness.
Nompumelelo Gasa of the MK Party said millions need healthcare and the department is faced by serious crises. She said these crises makes it hard to determine whether the source of the problems is the management or whether it is the funding.
The Mercury