Question NW2907 to the Minister of Health
22 September 2015 - NW2907
Chewane, Dr H to ask the Minister of Health
Whether he is aware of the lack of water in most health facilities in John Taolo Gaetsewe district in the Northern Cape, which resulted in some important procedures not being performed; if so, what is he doing to ensure that the poor people in the specified district, who depend on the public healthcare system, are not compromised by the lack of water?
Reply:
Yes, the Department of Health is aware of the water problem in the John Taolo Gaetsewe District in the Northern Cape, but it is not in most facilities as claimed by the question. The problem is in 10 out of 42 Primary Health Care facilities (PHCs). Most of these facilities are located in the deep rural areas of the District where there is no connection to the municipality’s water supply source. In areas where there is a connection it has been difficult for the municipality to meet the demand.
The District engaged the municipality to supply water tanks and fill them regularly with water. Interruptions have been very minimal.
The following were done as remedial action:
- Skilled technical officials have been appointed by the Department;
- An action plan has been developed;
- The District and the Department are in the process of procuring service providers to erect boreholes to supplement water supply;
- Approval has been granted to procure 5 000 litre water tanks for all 10 facilities; and
- The procurement process was anticipated to commence in the week of 24 August 2015.
END.