Question NW2563 to the Minister of Health
10 December 2021 - NW2563
Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What (a) total number of provinces have reported to him that they are (i) withdrawing their support to the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme and (ii) stopping payments towards the specified programme and (b) total amount in funds was meant to be paid by his department towards the programme for the 2021 academic year in each province; (2) whether he and/or his department requested the provinces to make an additional payment over and above the payments they were supposed to make; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what is the (a) allocated annual stipend by his department for each student and (b) full breakdown as reported to his department of the costs for the programme in each province with regard to (i) stipends, (ii) insurance, (iii) administrative costs, (iv) wasteful expenditure and (v) any other costs; (4) whether his department is in possession of an audit report of the programme that he can provide to Ms H Ismail; if not, why not; if so; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. (a) (i) None
(ii) None
(b) The total cost per student to date, depending on the Rand/Dollar Exchange Rate at the time of transfer, is reflected below and based on:
(i) Scholarship Programme, jointly funded by both Governments.
- Preparatory (one year) : $2000.00 per student
- 1st – 5th Year (per student) : $5000.00
- Stipend (per student per year) : $2400.00
(ii) Expanded Training Programme (ETP) is wholly funded by the South African Government is reflected in the table 1 below:
Table: 1
|
Level |
Tuition Fees |
Meals & acc. |
Ave. cost Med. Ins. |
Stipend |
|
Preparatory |
$6000.00 |
$6022 |
$450 |
$2400.00 |
|
1st – 2nd Year |
$12, 500 |
$6022 |
$500 |
$2400.00 |
|
3rd – 4th Year |
$11, 500 |
$6022 |
$500 |
$2400.00 |
|
5th Year |
$13, 500 |
$6022 |
$600 |
$2400.00 |
(iii) Local Universities
Tuition fees at South African universities during the integration since inception until 2018 varies from one university to another. After the agreement signed with local universities, the cost of integration per student has been standardized since July 2018 and adjusted according to Consumer Price Index. Students have all to be in the clinical training platform for 18 months which translates into three (3) semesters. Additional costs included transportation of the final year students to local universities which depends on the mode of transport and distance to the university.
- July 2018 – June 2019 : R231 325.00 (R115 662.50 per semester).
- July 2019 – June 2020 : R241 734.63 (R120 867.31 per semester).
- July 2020 – June 2021 : R252 612.68 (R126 306.34 per semester).
- July 2021 – June 2022 : R260 696.28 (R130 348.14 per semester).
(2) Yes
This was a shortfall for the 2019/2020 academic period of students in Cuba. The shortfall was because the exchange rate baseline that was used in calculating tuition fees for students in Cuba was at R15 for the 2019/2020 academic period. Since the exchange rate escalated so much above the base line, this meant that the amount transferred to Cuba was lower than the amount received from Provincial Department of Health. The amount transferred to Cuba did not cover the total amount due.
(3) (a) (i)(ii)(iii) See Table 1 above
(iv) None known
(v) Additional costs include two return flight tickets per student during six years and/ or during a bereavement of next of kin.
(4) The department has just concluded an internal audit and reconciliation exercise from October 2021 to November 2021.The findings have been sent to Provinces for review and approval. Provinces have been requested to correct the findings by 17 December 2021.
END.