Question NW4080 to the Minister of Health
25 November 2022 - NW4080
Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is the total number of community healthcare workers across the Republic who are currently on contract; (2) whether he has any intention to insource community healthcare workers; if not, why not; if so, (a) what number of such healthcare workers have been permanently absorbed into the system and (b) on what date will community healthcare workers be insourced and recognised as permanent personnel of the public health system?
Reply:
(1) The total number of Community Healthcare Workers(CHWs) across the Republic who are currently on contract is 49,086.
(2) A three-year agreement is in place at the PHSDSBC for the continued public sector contracting of CHWs. Meanwhile the National Department of Health is working with the Department of Labour and with National Treasury to find a solution with regard to employment conditions of community health workers.
(a) There are no community health workers who have been absorbed on permanent basis. The NDoH has been informed that Gauteng Department of Health has embarked on a preferred recruitment strategy that resulted in 8,253 Community Health workers being appointed into different vacant posts in the province.
(b) This depends on the outcome of the work being done by the National Department of Health in collaboration with the Department of Labour and with National Treasury.
END.