Question NW2109 to the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
18 July 2018 - NW2109
Esau, Mr S to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans
(1)(a) What is the status of the appointment of the medical technologist at 1 Military Hospital which had to be concluded by 31 January 2017, (b) why was the approach that was adopted by 2 Military Hospital not considered and followed by 1 Military Hospital in this regard and (c) what additional cost has been incurred due to the delay in appointing the medical technologist; (2) what is the status of the Laboratory and Radiological Departments at 1 Military Hospital?
Reply:
(1)(a) The medical technologist has been appointed. The contract is with effect from 1 July 2018. Consultations between Techtura, who is the principal agent, and 1 Military Hospital, who is the end-user, will commence on 1 July 2018.
(b) The project at 2 Military Hospital fell under the Department of Public Works, and the tender to appoint the contractor (principal agent) included the procurement and installation of all major medical equipment under one contract. The project at 1 Military Hospital is being carried out by the Defence Works Formation. Therefore a separate tender process had to be embarked upon to procure the services of the medical technologist.
(c) Additional costs are that of cost escalation due to the delay in appointing the medical technologist, as well as inflationary costs and the cost of continued outsourcing over the month/years of delay in commencing with the project.
(2) The Laboratory Department at 1 Military Hospital is functional.
The Radiology Department at 1 Military Hospital is not fully functional due the delay in the completion of the refurbishment. Highly-specialised main medical equipment such as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, the computerised tomography (CT) scanner, the catheterisation laboratory and bigger X-ray machines cannot be installed in temporary areas. These highly specialised investigations are outsourced. Investigations with normal X-ray equipment, portable X-ray equipment and ultrasound equipment are functional and are performed in the hospital.