Questions and Replies
22 September 2017 - NW2168
Dreyer, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Health
(a) How many public (i) hospitals and (ii) clinics currently have a shortage of ambulances and (b) what is the extent of this shortage?
Reply:
(a) (i) and (ii) EMS is established in the Provinces as a mobile health facility and as such has infrastructure specifically for EMS which may or may not be attached to a health facility. The number of ambulances operating from health facilities and those operating from independent ambulances stations are detailed below.
(b) Given that this is not standard practice for EMS to be attached to a specific health facility, it is not possible to advise on the extent of shortage of ambulances at fixed health facilities
Table 1
PROVINCE |
Number of ambulances operating from EMS Stations attached to hospitals and clinics which are managed by EMS |
Number of ambulances operating from EMS Stations not attached to hospitals and clinics |
Eastern Cape |
58 |
28 |
Free State |
133 |
11 |
Gauteng |
275 and a further 100 new ambulances will be available. |
52 |
402 are operated from Metropolitan Municipalities |
||
KwaZulu-Natal |
344 |
191 |
Limpopo |
292 |
97 |
Mpumalanga |
0 |
98 |
North West |
66 |
0 |
Northern Cape |
80 |
55 |
Western Cape |
137 |
135 |
Going forward, it is recommended that future planning and construction of hospitals and clinics should include provisions for EMS Stations to enhance integrated healthcare.
END.
22 September 2017 - NW2165
James, Ms LV to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is the current World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline pertaining to the number of doctors in hospitals; (2) what number of persons are currently (a) studying towards a medical qualification and (b) employed as doctors in the country; (3) whether his department is in compliance with the WHO guideline regarding the number of doctors in hospitals; if not, what are the reasons for the non-compliance?
Reply:
(1) The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides a guideline threshold of 2:10 000 ratio of health workers (doctors, nurses and midwives) per population. Countries with a density below this threshold generally fail to achieve a targeted 80% coverage rate for skilled birth attendance and child immunisation. A population-based threshold for doctors has been extrapolated from the WHO of 0.55 doctors per 1000 population, but this cannot be applied to hospitals;
(2) (a) 1,939 is the total enrolled students studying towards medical qualification in eight medical institutions across the country;
(b) See attached spreadsheet (please note that this is only public sector data).
(3) There are no published WHO guidelines to adhere to. For the public health sector, the National Department of Health has adopted the Workload Indicator for Staffing Norms (WISN) methodology for determining staffing norms, which has been applied across Primary Health Care facilities. The methodology has not yet been launched at hospitals.
END.
11 September 2017 - NW2540
Steenkamp, Ms J to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What number of ambulances that are operated by the (i) province and (ii) Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality are operating within the boundaries of the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality; (2) (a) what is the maximum number of people one ambulance is supposed to service and (b) how many people live within the boundaries of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan municipality; (3) with regard to the standards of compliance, what (a) is the (i) minimum number of people that are supposed to be operating an ambulance at any given time and (ii) basic equipment that is supposed to be on an ambulance at all times and (b) are the other relevant details of any other standard of compliance?
Reply:
(1) EMS in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is provided at provincial level by Gauteng Emergency Medical Services as well as at local government level by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
(i) An average of 25 of a total pool of 45 ambulances owned and managed by Gauteng Department of Health Provincial EMS are operational per shift for specific functions within Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
(ii) An average of 63 of a pool of 167 ambulances are operational per shift within the boundaries of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality - 83 of the 167 ambulances are owned by Gauteng Department of Health Provincial EMS and 84 of the 167 are owned by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. The day-to-day operations of these vehicles are managed by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
The total combined fleet available for operations within Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is 212.
(2) (a) The national normative ratio (which is used as a guide) is one ambulance per 10 000 people (1:10 000);
(b) The number of people in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is estimated at 3 178 470 as per StatsSA June 2016
(3) (a) (i) The minimum number of registered EMS personnel to work on an ambulance is two (2);
(ii) The basic equipment that is supposed to be on an ambulance at all times is as per Annexure A;
(b) In terms of the Health Professions Act of 1974 all personnel are required to practice within their respective scopes of practice as per their registration categories. All personnel must hold a valid Professional Driving Permit (PDP) and all ambulances are required to be registered as such in terms of the National Road Traffic Act. Furthermore, all Emergency Medical Service providers will be required to comply with the Emergency Medical Services Regulations when promulgated by the Minister of Health. The EMS Regulations prescribe the application and accreditation processes, as well as the minimum standard of staffing and equipments for all categories of pre-hospital vehicles in South Africa in both public and privates services.
END.
14 August 2017 - NW1721
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
Whether any staff of (a) his department and (b) each entity reporting to him were awarded any contracts or agreements to conduct business with any state entity in the (i) 2014-15, (ii) 2015-16 and (iii) 2016-17 financial years; if so, what are the (aa)(aaa) names and (bbb) professional designations of the staff members and (bb)(aaa) details of the contract(s) and/or agreement(s) awarded and (bbb) amounts in each case?
Reply:
(a) No.
(b) No.
END.
14 August 2017 - NW1264
Lees, Mr RA to ask the Minister of Health
What are the details of all members of staff of the Ladysmith Provincial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal who were (a) dismissed or (b) disciplined during the period 1 January 2016 to 30 April 2017?
Reply:
The Table in Annexure 1 provides the details in this regard, as provided by the KwaZulu Natal Provincial Department of Health.
END
14 August 2017 - NW1259
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to his reply to question 6 on 13 March 2017, where he stated that his department undertakes annual assessments of health care professionals against possible infections through occupational health units located within health facilities and provide N95 masks to all health care professionals in infection areas, what is the total number of (a) entry and exit interviews conducted with healthcare professionals in (i) 2013 (ii) 2014 (iii) 2015 and (iv) 2016 in each hospital in South Africa and (b) N95 masks issued per healthcare professional, in each hospital for the period 2014 to 2017?
Reply:
END.
14 August 2017 - NW1092
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to his reply to question 1282 on 26 May 2015, has the forensic report been completed; if not, why not; if so, (a) who has seen the report and (b) what steps have emanated from it?
Reply:
Forensic Investigation was commissioned by the Department of Roads and Public Works in the 2015/16 Financial Year. The report has since been forwarded by GOBODO to the HoD of the Department of Roads and Public Works. This Department was informed that the GOBODO Report was forwarded to the Special Investigations Unit for review and recommendations.
END.
14 August 2017 - NW1106
Mackenzie, Mr C to ask the Minister of Health
What (a) amount was spent by his department on e-government services in the 2016-17 financial year and (b) is the projected expenditure for the 2017-18 financial year?
Reply:
(a) The amount spent by the National Department of Health on eGovernment related services during 2016- 17 financial year is R 67,749,994
(b) The projected expenditure on e-Government related services for the 2017-18 financial year is R120,808,930.98
END.
14 August 2017 - NW2051
America, Mr D to ask the Minister of Health
Is the newly built hospital in De Aar, Northern Cape, that was unveiled on 29 July 2016, operational; if not, (a) why not and (b) by what date will it be operational; if so, what services are currently being rendered at the hospital?
Reply:
END.
14 August 2017 - NW2031
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to his reply to question 534 on 8 May 2017, what was the financial cost associated with treating children who were admitted to hospital due to severe acute malnutrition in each of the specified financial years?
Reply:
The estimated average financial cost per case (based on modelled estimates) of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) with complications is R65,826. The median length of in-patient days for SAM cases with Severe Acute Malnutrition is 30 days (7 days - stabilisation phase and 23 days - rehabilitation phase). The composition of the unit costs includes foodstuffs, medicines and hospital overheads.
Based on this estimated cost, the approximate costs of inpatient care for all children with SAM for the last four financial years are shown in the table below:
Financial years |
SAM inpatient admissions |
Approximate Costs |
2013-14 |
14,947 |
R491,950,611 |
2014-15 |
15,910 |
R523,645,830 |
2015-16 |
15,537 |
R511,369,281 |
2016-17 |
14,910 |
R490,732,830 |
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1828
Ketabahle, Ms V to ask the Minister of Health
What measures has he put in place to provide training and continuous professional development to (a) nurses, (b) midwives and (c) doctors who wish to be abortion service providers?
Reply:
(a) The Provincial Departments of Health plan and provide training to nurses to provide termination of pregnancy services;
(b) The Provincial Departments of Health plan and provide training to midwives to provide termination of pregnancy services;
(c) The Provincial Departments of Health plan and provide training to doctors to provide termination of pregnancy services
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1064
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
Whether the completion of the Kimberley Mental Hospital is his department’s priority; if not, why not; if so, (a) how much has been made available by his department for this project and (b) whether the amount made available is the actual budget for the complete cost of the hospital?
Reply:
a) Kimberley Mental hospital project is a priority to National and Provincial department of Health. In 2017/18 financial year the department put aside R279, 7735, 062 million from Health Facility Revitalisation Grant.
b) The budget indicated in (a) will take the project to practical completion which is expected to be reach in November 2017.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1257
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
Whether, with reference to his reply to question 4 on 13 March 2017, in which it is stated that all hospitals inclusive of rural hospitals are equipped with the necessary functioning and lifesaving equipment in emergency sections, he can provide a signed inventory of every hospital in the country, specifying the total number of (a) blood gas machines, (b) partograms, (c) paediatric ventilators, (d) neonatal central lines, (e) hard trauma collars and (f) anaesthetic machines with a capnogram?
Reply:
Yes, a signed inventory for each hospital will be provided but this will take us a long time to compile. The Honourable Member will then have to be patient.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1258
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether he can confirm if all defibrillators in all government hospitals have been replaced with automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which are the new approved machines for resuscitation; if not, (a) what is the position in this regard and (b) by what date will the process be completed; if so, will he provide Ms D Carter with a list including the (i) name of the hospital, (ii) total number of AEDs for each hospital and (iii) replacement date in each case; (2) are new employees who are trained to operate AEDs capable of operating the current defibrillatorsthat are still in use?
Reply:
1.(a) (b) (i) (ii) (iii)
There is currently no regulation, which requires the phasing-out of all defibrillators and replacing them with AEDs. The Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are the recommended cardiac resuscitation equipment in areas where there is high possibility of witnessed cardiac arrest and can be used by a trained lay rescuer. That is why the department is ensuring that they are acquired for clinics and identified areas in hospitals. However, defibrillators continue to be the preferred cardiac resuscitation equipment in other medical sections in hospitals as they offer more options including pacing and pulse monitoring.
The department acknowledges the proven advantages of using Biphasic defibrillators over monophasic defibrillators and therefore continue to replace monophasic defibrillators with biphasic defibrillators, which provide results with less energy and are more efficient. The department has also ensured that those life support equipment are available on transversal contracts (RT4 and RT2) through National Treasury to provide end-users easy access to acquire. I.e. AEDs and Biphasic defibrillators (with AED mode).
(2) Application specialist training is arranged for every life-support equipment procured by the department therefore employees are trained on the current biphasic defibrillators in hospitals.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1585
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether his department has been informed that the state-of-the-art emergency unit is still unfinished, not fully operational and resulting in the death of patients (details furnished); if so, (2) (a) what (i) steps are being undertaken by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health to remedy this crisis and (ii) are the timeframes and (b) what steps are his department taking to monitor and/or remedy this crisis?
Reply:
(1) The upgrading of the existing Edendale Accident & Emergency (A &E) is being done in phases in order to avoid the disruption of services:
- Phase 1: Resuscitation Area, SOPD & MOPD have been successfully commissioned and are fully operational.
- Phase 2: Construction is still underway for the rest of the OPD Area & Radiology Section, and it is projected for completion in this current 2017/18 Financial Year.
NB: It must be noted that no deaths of patients have o0ccured as a result of this on-going upgrading of the A&E, and in the event where the need arises, the Department continues make the necessary arrangements where patients are referred to other convenient and alternative facilities of care.
(2) (a) (i) The Department has put measures in place such as the utilisation of both the Provicnial and National Period Contracts/ Tender in order to fast –track the procurement of the outstanding medical equipment.
It is to be noted that the CT Scanner at Edendale is fully functional.
(ii) The commissioning of the A& E is projected for completion within the current 2017/18 Financial Year as per response 1 above.
(b) Steps by the Department -
- The Procurement of the Essential Equipment has been accommodated in the current 2017/18 Financial Year and a monitoring system has been put in place where progress is reported on a weekly basis.
- The Department has a Procurement Plan, Procurement Schedule and an Oversight Committee that oversees the procurement process.
- The Committee meets every month to track the progress of the Procurement Process.
- The Department of is in the process of engaging Service Providers for Service Level Agreements on Periodic Contracts to expedite maintenance/repairs to medical equipment.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1756
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Health
Does (a) he, (b) his Deputy Minister or (c) any of the heads of entities or bodies reporting to him make use of security services paid for by the State for (i) him/herself, (ii) his/her immediate family members or (iii) any of their staff members; in each case (aa) what are the reasons for it, (bb) from which department or entity’s budget is the security services being paid, and (cc) what are the relevant details?
Reply:
The Security Services paid for by the State falls under the responsibility of the South African Police Service and is not for our personal use. Hence, neither the Deputy Minister nor I use the service for our personal use. Staff members also do not use the service for their personal use.
I am reliably informed by our public entities that they do not use such services for their personal use.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1809
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Which entities reporting to him (a) have a board in place and (b) do not have a board in place, (i) of those that have a board, (aa) when was each individual board member appointed and (bb) when is the term for each board lapsing and (ii) how many (aa) board members are there in each board and (bb) of those board members of each entity are female; (2) with reference to entities that do not have boards in place, (a) who is responsible for appointing the board and (b) when will a board be appointed?
Reply:
(1) (a) The following entities reporting to the Minister of Health have a board in place, namely;South African Medical Research Council (MRC), Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC),Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS);
(b) The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority does not have a board in place. The entity is newly established and the enabling legislation in this regard was proclaimed effective 01 June 2017.
(i)
Entity |
Board Members |
Date of Appointment |
Expiry of term of office |
South African Medical Research Council |
Prof Mike Sathekge |
1 November 2016 |
31 October 2019 |
Prof Quarraisha Karim |
|||
Dr Rachel Chikwamba |
|||
Prof Mark Cotton |
|||
Ms Nafeesa Kadwa |
|||
Dr Zilungile Kwitshana |
|||
Prof Johnny Mahlangu |
|||
Prof William Rae |
|||
Prof Brandon Shaw |
|||
Prof Linda Skaal |
|||
Prof Tholene Sodi |
|||
Prof Sithembiso Velaphi |
|||
Dr Patricia Hanekom |
|||
Prof Lindiwe Zungu |
|||
Prof Elizabeth Bukubisi |
|||
Office of Health Standards Compliance |
Prof Lizo Mazwai |
1 January 2017 |
31 December 2019 |
Dr Ethelwynn Stellenburg |
|||
Prof Stuart Whittaker |
|||
Mr Abdul Kariem Hoosain |
|||
Ms Audrey Montshiwa |
|||
Mr Bada Pharasi |
|||
Dr Bandile Masuku |
|||
Ms Sheila Barsel |
29 May 2017 |
31 December 2019 |
|
Ms Keitumetse Mahlangu |
|||
Council for Medical Schemes |
Prof Yosuf Veriava |
14 November 2014 |
30 November 2017 |
Dr Loyiso Mpuntsha |
|||
Ms Lunah Nevhutalu |
|||
Prof Bonke Clayton Dumisa |
|||
Prof Sadhasivan Perumal |
|||
Ms Maboye Mosidi |
|||
Mr Johan Van der Walt |
|||
Mr Matlodi Steven Mabela |
|||
Adv Harshila Khoosal Kooverjie |
|||
Dr AquinaThulare |
14 February 2017 |
30 November 2017 |
|
National Health Laboratory Service |
Prof Eric Buch |
29 November 2016 |
29 April 2018 |
Dr SibongileZungu |
20 April 2017 |
30 April 2018 |
|
Prof Barry Schoub |
20 April 2017 |
29 April 2018 |
|
Prof Lawrence Obi |
20 April 2017 |
19 April 2020 |
|
Ms SphiweMayinga |
20 April 2017 |
19April 2020 |
|
Dr GerhardGoosen |
1 November 2015 |
31 October 2018 |
|
Mr MichaelManning |
30 April 2015 |
29 April 2018 |
|
Dr BalekileMzangwa |
18 November 2016 |
17 November 2019 |
|
Mr Stanley Harvey |
1 February 2015 |
31 January 2018 |
|
Ms NtombikayiseMapukata |
1 February 2015 |
31 January 2018 |
|
Prof Haroon Salojee |
1 September 2015 |
31 August 2018 |
|
Prof Mary Ross |
1 September 2015 |
31 August 2018 |
|
Prof Willem Sturm |
1 September 2015 |
31 August 2018 |
|
Ms NelisiweMkhize |
1 September 2015 |
31 August 2018 |
|
Mr Andre Venter |
2 January 2015 |
1 January 2018 |
|
Dr Patrick Moonasar |
1 February 2015 |
31 January 2018 |
|
Dr Timothy Tucker |
1 January 2016 |
31 December 2019 |
|
MrLungaNtshinga |
1 January 2016 |
31 December 2019 |
|
Mr Ben Durham |
1 November 2014 |
31 October 2017 |
|
Ms ZwelibanziMavuso |
21 December 2016 |
20 December 2020 |
|
Mr Michael Shingange |
1 February 2015 |
31 January 2018 |
|
Prof ShabirMadhi |
10 April 2017 |
Acting CEO |
(ii)
Entity |
Total number in each board |
Total number of females in eachboard |
SAMRC |
15 |
9 |
OHSC |
9 |
4 |
CMS |
10 |
5 |
NHLS |
22 |
5 |
(2) (a) The Board of the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority is appointed by the Minister of Health and (b) will be appointed not later than October 2017.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1827
Mbatha, Mr MS to ask the Minister of Health
What is the percentage of surgically designated abortion facilities in South Africa?
Reply:
Surgically designated facilities for the provision of terminations of pregnancy services comprise of 84% of all hospitals in South Africa.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1830
Moteka, Mr PG to ask the Minister of Health
What is the total number of abortions that were carried out in Government facilities in each province in the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016?
Reply:
The following table reflects the details in this regard, as sourced from the Provincial Departments of Health
Table 1
PROVINCE |
NUMBER OF TERMINATIONS OF PREGNANCIES PERFORMED FOR YEAR |
||
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Eastern Cape |
12 830 |
12 846 |
14 479 |
Free State |
5 896 |
6 022 |
5 767 |
Gauteng |
18 814 |
16 272 |
22 942 |
KwaZulu Natal |
9 785 |
11 359 |
14 395 |
Limpopo |
8 515 |
9 244 |
10 625 |
Mpumalanga |
2 501 |
1 851 |
2 744 |
North West |
8 274 |
7 131 |
5 951 |
Northern Cape |
1 725 |
1 505 |
1 366 |
Western Cape |
18 346 |
19 603 |
19 212 |
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1831
Rawula, Mr T to ask the Minister of Health
What is the total number of abortions disaggregated by (a) medical and/or (b) surgical procedure options in each province in the period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2016?
Reply:
The Department of Health does not collect data on medical and surgical procedure separately.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1832
Mokoena, Mr L to ask the Minister of Health
(a) What is the total number of abortions disaggregated by trimester and (b) what measures are in place to ensure that persons who need an abortion in the 3rd trimester due to maternal health reasons and/or foetal health concerns can access the service country wide?
Reply:
(a) The Department of Health does not collect disaggregated data by trimester.
(b) After 20 weeks of gestation, if a medical practitioner, after consultation with another medical practitioner or registered midwife, is of the opinion that continued pregnancy would endanger the woman's life or if the pregnancy would result in severe malformation of the foetus, the pregnancy can be terminated.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1833
Xalisa, Mr Z R to ask the Minister of Health
What is his department doing to curb illegal and unsafe abortions?
Reply:
(1) Provide safe terminations as part of comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health services which includes providing the full range of contraceptives.
(2) The Provincial Departments of Health are working together with the South African Police Service in dealing with illegal abortions in the country. However, the people who offer illegal abortions do not operate in clinics, they operate as mobile service providers where they make appointments with their clients to meet along the streets then take them to a house or a structure that is not easily identifiable and which are not permanent sites at which they offer these services.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1834
Khawula, Ms MS to ask the Minister of Health
What are the latest statistics on mortality and morbidity due to unsafe abortions?
Reply:
The Department of Health does not keep unsafe abortion statistics as most often patients who present at the health care facilities do not disclose that information to the healthcare workers. Also, unsafe abortions are not happening within the health care facilities.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1872
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health
Whether he is aware that, since the psychiatric ward of Tshilidzini Hospital was burnt down in 2010, psychiatric patients are being admitted to the medical surgical ward, as they do not have a dedicated ward; if so, what steps has his department taken in this regard?
Reply:
Since the psychiatric unit at Tshilidzini Hospital was burnt down and declared uninhabitable by the architects, mental health services at this hospital have been scaled down to provide only emergency admissions and 72 hour assessment of involuntary mental health care users. Designated cubicles in the medical ward (eight male and four female beds) are utilized for this purpose. Following the 72 hour assessment process, where further inpatient care treatment and rehabilitation is required, patients are transferred to hospitals that have functional mental health units such as Donald Fraser, Siloam, and Malamulela Hospitals.
The re-development of the entire Tshilidzini Hospital is in the planning phase and provides for the construction of a full psychiatric unit.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW2022
Masango, Ms B to ask the Minister of Health
(1)(a) In how many events of the Integrated Community Registration Outreach Programme did his department participate in the 2016-17 financial year, (b) on what date did each event take place and (c) in which (i) province, (ii) municipality and (iii) ward did each event take place; (2) whether his department incurred any costs to participate in the specified events; if so, what was the total amount incurred in respect of each event?
Reply:
The National Department of Health has not participated in any such programme. The Integrated Community Registration Programme (ICROP) is relevant to the Department of Social Development.
END.
31 July 2017 - NW2030
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
What is the current rate of fœtal alcohol syndrome cases?
Reply:
Studies have been done in areas of known or suspected high alcohol consumption by women. Studies in South Africa have found the following rates in these areas:
- Northern Cape
-
- Upington 75/ per 1000 population
- Kimberley 64/ per 1000 population
- De Aar 119/ per 1000 population
- Western Cape
-
- Saldanha Bay 67/ per 1000 population
- Witzenberg sub-district 96/ per 1000 population
- Aurora 100/ per 1000 population
- Wellington 89/ per 1000 population.
- Gauteng
-
- Parts of Johannesburg 26/ per 1000 population
END.
31 July 2017 - NW1829
Paulsen, Mr N M to ask the Minister of Health
What efforts are being made to ensure the registration and distribution of the medical abortion drug mifepristone in South Africa?
Reply:
Mifepristone is currently available to the provinces as a buyout product. The medicine will be available on tender after the currently published tender is awarded.
END.
19 June 2017 - NW1193
Stander, Ms T to ask the Minister of Health
(a) What amount has been spent on (i) researching and (ii) producing the Government’s new Max condoms, (b) to whom was the contract(s) awarded in each case, (c) what is the (i) budget and (ii) actual amount spent to date and (d) what is the total number of condoms that have been (i) produced and (ii) distributed to date?
Reply:
(a) (i) The research on MAX condoms was conducted by the Society for Family Health (SFH), on behalf of the Department of Health, through funding from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) amounting to R420,000.
(ii) The production and distribution of the Max Condom is done on a tender basis. The current tender is for 3 years. It was awarded in July 2015 and is expiring in June 2018.
(b) The three-year contract was awarded to the following suppliers: Almika Trading, Barrs Medical, Bliss Pharmaceutical, Fulloutput, Medproc, RRT Medcon, SA Health Protecting services, Unitrade, and Medicore Technologies.
(c) (i) The budget allocated is R836,000,000.
(ii) The expenditure to date is R654,229,431.
(d) (i)-(ii) From the period: August 2015 to March 2017, the total number of MAX condoms produced and distributed to date is 1,333,121,613.
END.
19 June 2017 - NW1488
Lotriet, Prof A to ask the Minister of Health
Whether (a) his department and (b) each entity reporting to him procured any services from and/or made any payments to (i) a certain company (name furnished) or (ii) any other public relations firms; if not, in each case, why not; if so, in each case, what (aa) services were procured, (bb) was the total cost, (cc) is the detailed breakdown of such costs, (dd) was the total amount paid, (ee) was the purpose of the payments and (ff) is the detailed breakdown of such payments?
Reply:
No, neither the Department nor entities reporting to it procured services and/or made payments to the company in question.
END.
19 June 2017 - NW1379
Nkomo, Ms SJ to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether, with reference to the Medical Schemes Act, Act 131 of 1998, he has found it to be just and in the interests of the provision of medical cover to all South Africans, that late joiners to medical aids, especially people over the age of 35 years are penalized in terms of paying higher medical aid rates because of them not being a member of a medical aid scheme at the age of 35 (details furnished); (2) would he consider motivating to cabinet to have this section of the Act repealed in the interests of making medical aid cover more financially accessible to new members over the age of 35; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1) Late joiner penalties (LJP) forms part of the regulations made in terms of the Medical Schemes Act, 1998 (Act No. 131 of 1998) ("the Act")). Regulations 11 and 13 of the said regulations, refer to instances where a member wants to join a medical scheme after the age of 35 and LJP is determined by the number of years that a person was not a member of a scheme (from the age of 21) prior to the application for membership of a medical scheme. The LJP is aimed at protecting the accumulated risk pool funds from being accepted by high risk late joiners who have not contributed to them. It is also meant to incentivize people to join a medical scheme at an earlier age so that the penalty can be mitigated/avoided. There are circumstances that prevent persons from joining a Medical Scheme at an early stage. For such persons a late joiner penalty is unjust.
(2) The application of the LJP is discretionary and a scheme can choose not to apply to a member after applying to join a medical scheme after the age of 35. The Department is currently in the process of preparing amendments to the Medical Schemes Act. The matter of the Late Jointer Penalty is being reviewed as part of this process.
END.
19 June 2017 - NW1082
Alberts, Mr ADW to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether he has been informed of the situation where opportunities for placements for nursing students who are not bursars and who completed their degrees in nursing have been withdrawn and/or rejected by the South African Internship and Community Service Programme and that they are therefore prevented from starting their compulsory community service year, whereas opportunities for placements for students who are bursars have been accepted and their community service year started on 2 January 2017 already; if so, (2) whether he can provide a full explanation as to why a distinction is made between nonbursar nursing students who completed their studies and those who paid for themselves when placements are made for community service; if not, (3) whether he will investigate the specified practice; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1) During the 2016/17 cycle for community service placements, there was a challenge in placing all Professional Nurses eligible for community service as some provinces had incorrectly stated their available posts. This impacted both provincial bursary holders as well as privately funded graduates.
(2) In accordance with Public Service Regulations, all provincial departments are compelled to contractually obligate bursars to serve their respective departments for a stipulated period of time. Failure to redeem the bursary obligation results in the money having to be paid back by the bursar. Approximately 76% of all Professional Nurses who required a community service placement in 2016/17 had a contractual obligation to serve in a particular public health facility, district or province.
(3) The National Health Council has reviewed the matter in-depth and has requested provinces to urgently avail the posts required for the remaining group. The National Health Council resolved on 12 May 2017 that this process should be completed by 31 May 2017. I, in consultation with the provincial Members of the Executive, has written to each province to request a specific number of posts per province, to accommodate all the waitlisted individuals.
The National Department of Health has also been tasked to investigate how to improve post co-ordination and funding to avoid such challenges going forward.
END.
05 June 2017 - NW1063
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to her reply to question 406 on 27 March 2017, for how long has each of the 26 patients been accommodated in correctional services facilities due to inadequate mental health facilities in the Northern Cape?
Reply:
With regard to my reply to Question 406 on 27 March 2017, I wish to inform Honourable Member that since the beginning of May 2017, the 21 of the 26 patients mentioned in March have been moved to West End Psychiatric Hospital after completion of refurbishment of facilities there.
When they were still in correctional service facilities, on a waiting basis, they used to wait for an average of 4 years.
END.
05 June 2017 - NW1065
Krumbock, Mr GR to ask the Minister of Health
Whether the West End Psychiatric Hospital in the Northern Cape has been (a) refurbished and (b) equipped for patients?
Reply:
The Department has refurbished and equipped the West End Psychiatric Hospital state patients unit in the 2016/17 financial year.
(a) A vacated 36 bed ward at West End Hospital has been completely upgraded to make it suitable for involuntary male health patients. The male involuntary patients were transferred from the secure ward adjacent to the existing State Patient Ward. This vacated ward is also suitable for State Patients which allowed rapid transfer in early May of 21 State Patients from Kimberley Correctional Services.
(b) The ward is fully and appropriately equipped for State Patients.
END.
05 June 2017 - NW1073
Mokgalapa, Mr S to ask the Minister of Health
With reference to his reply to question 406 on 27 March 2017, are there any patients being accommodated in correctional services facilities due to inadequate mental health facilities in any other province; if so, (a) what is the total number of patients who are currently being accommodated, (b) in which prisons and (c) for how long?
Reply:
Yes.
Detailed answers to questions (a), (b) and (c) are as follows:
Province |
(a) Number of patients accommodated |
(b) Prison facilities |
(c) For how long |
Eastern Cape |
14 |
St. Albans |
8-22 months |
14 |
Grahamstown |
6-19 months |
|
43 |
East London |
1-22 months |
|
1 |
Wellington |
1month |
|
13 |
King Williams Town |
1-11 months |
|
11 |
Fort Beaufort |
10-18 months |
|
3 |
Cradock |
14-21 months |
|
Sub-total |
99 |
||
Mpumalanga |
2 |
Witbank |
84 months |
6 |
Nelspruit |
12-36 months |
|
1 |
Middelburg |
12 months |
|
6 |
Ermelo |
1-48 months |
|
Sub-total |
15 |
||
Total |
114 |
The waiting list of patients in prison facilities in Mpumalanga province is due to the lack of a specialised psychiatric hospital to render this service. Plans are underway to build a hospital, and currently patients are referred to Weskoppies Hospital in Gauteng Province, when a bed becomes available.
END.
05 June 2017 - NW1220
Macpherson, Mr DW to ask the Minister of Health
Whether (a) his department and (b) each entity reporting to him has (i) procured any services from and/or (ii) made any payments to the Decolonisation Foundation; if not, in each case, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (aa) services were procured, (bb) were the total costs, (cc) is the detailed breakdown of the costs, (dd) was the total amount paid, (ee) was the purpose of the payments and (ff) is the detailed breakdown of the payments in each case?
Reply:
No, neither the National Department of Health nor any of the public entities reporting to the Ministry of Health procured any services from the Decolonisation Foundation.
END.
05 June 2017 - NW1048
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Health
What progress has been made in the evaluation of the capacity of the South African health security under the Global Health Security Agenda, using the Joint External Evaluation tool?
Reply:
South Africa is implementing the International Health Regulations (2005) [IHR 2005] since its enactment on 15 June 2007. In February 2017, the National Department of Health completed a self IHR assessment using the Joint External Evaluation tool, with the participation of all relevant Government departments and key stakeholders. The National Department of Health officials assessed all the action packages, namely: prevention, detection, response, and IHR-related hazards as well as Points of Entry. The Department of Health is using the findings to develop an action plan aimed at further strengthening of South Africa's IHR capacity.
END.
08 May 2017 - NW356
Van Dalen, Mr P to ask the Minister of Health
What is the (a) make, (b) model, (c) price and (d) date on which each vehicle was purchased for use by (i) him and (ii) his deputy (aa) in the (aaa) 2014-15 and (bbb) 2015-16 financial years and (bb) since 1 April 2016?
Reply:
Honourable Member, this matter was raised and responded to during Plenary of this House during the session on the Decision of Question on Votes and Schedule to Appropriation Bill and during through a Motion moved by Honourable Maynier, on 4 November 2015. The matter was fully interrogated and the Honourable Member could refer to the Hansard of that session, for full details.
END.
08 May 2017 - NW534
Jooste, Ms K to ask the Minister of Health
How many (a) admissions and (b) deaths due to severe malnutrition were recorded in each of the provincial state hospitals in the (i) 2013-14, (ii) 2014-15 and (iii) 2015-16 financial years?
Reply:
(a)-(b) Admissions and deaths due to severe malnutrition as recorded for periods mentioned below are: see the link:
http://pmg-assets.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/RNW534Table-170508.pdf
END.
08 May 2017 - NW548
Lotriet, Prof A to ask the Minister of Health
On what date did he gain knowledge of the (a) transfer of thousands of mentally-ill patients from Life Esidimeni Healthcare to 27 unlicensed non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and (b) persons who had died in the care of these unlicensed NGOs?
Reply:
In the whole Life Esidimeni saga, there are different events and various facts that occurred and emerged and were learnt of at different times respectively.
Unfortunately, the honourable member's question is framed in such a way that it assumes that the events and the facts that subsequently emerged all occurred at the same time and hence were learnt of at the same time.
I will try my best to separate them because that is how in reality they occurred.
I first learnt of the intention of Gauteng Department of Health to terminate their contract with Life Esidimeni and move mentally ill patients to other facilities in November 2015, when section 27, on behalf of South African depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), wrote to the National Department of Health, threatening to take the Gauteng Department of Health to court. They said they will cite the Minister and the Premier of Gauteng though no relieve will be sort from them.
The Director-General of the National Department of Health then contacted Gauteng to try and find out what this is all about as nobody in Gauteng Government ever informed the National Department of Health of any problem pertaining to mental health patients.
After being briefed, the Director-General felt that there is nothing that should provoke a court case and that the issues relating to mental health patients are straight forward and can be settled through a discussion.
The Director-General then facilitated a meeting between the HOD of Gauteng Department of Health, SADAG and Section 27. This meeting culminated into an agreement being signed between Gauteng Department of Health and SADAG whereby it was agreed that if patients have to be moved, they will be moved to facilities that do not offer an inferior service to which they were receiving at Life Esidimeni.
As it emerged later, Gauteng Department of Health unfortunately breached this agreement in every conceivable manner!
Part of the agreement was also that a detailed plan be prepared by the parties (Gauteng Department of Health, SADAG, Section 27) by the end of January 2016.
This agreement was an out of court settlement and hence SADAG withdrew its court case, which was due in court on 22 December 2015. The withdrawal happened on 21 December 2015.
It emerged later that Gauteng Department of Health did not put up a plan by the end of January 2016 as agreed in the out of court settlement.
In March 2016, Section 27 then rushed to court to interdict the Gauteng Department of Health but did not cite the Premier or the National Minister of Health, and hence there was no information forthcoming to the National Department in this regard.
Unfortunately, Section 27 lost the court interdict.
I then came to hear about the death of psychiatric patients who were moved from Life Esidimeni when the MEC for Health in Gauteng, in answering to a question in the legislature, announced that 36 mentally-ill patients died under the care of NGO's in and around Gauteng.
I was completely shocked and could not comprehend the whole thing. I immediately contacted the Health Ombuds person, Prof. Malegapuru Makgoba to investigate.
I subsequently learnt from his report that it was actually 94+ patients who died and not the 36 as earlier announced by the MEC in the Legislature. I also learnt from the Ombud's report that when they died they were under the care of 27 NGO's and that the NGO's were actually having invalid licenses issued by the Gauteng Department of Health. All these facts I only learnt when the Health Ombud presented to me a preliminary report in January 2017.
The MEC for Health in Gauteng had made her announcement in the legislature in September 2016 and the Health Ombud was asked by me to investigate in October 2016. The Health Ombud's final report was only released publicly on 01 February 2017.
END.
08 May 2017 - NW1
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What innovative measures have been taken by his department to reduce the number of preventable deaths in view of the fact that 4 February marks World Cancer Day (details furnished); (2) Will his department provide a detailed list of (a) all government hospitals along with the names of the oncologists assigned to each, (b) how many days the oncologist is assigned to the respective hospital in a monthly cycle and (c) the number of cancer patients per hospital; (3) Will his department provide a detailed list of the number of patients listed on a waiting list in all government hospitals for (a) biopsies, (b) chemotherapy, (c) radiotherapy and (d) surgery; (4) Will his department provide a detailed list of (a) all equipment and machines that are out of commission at all government hospitals, (b) and the cost associated with repairing the equipment/machinery?
Reply:
(1) In response to the key messages of World Cancer Day 2016 – 2019 and theme, “We Can. I Can”, the Department has initiated or been involved in a number of innovations. For example
(a) “Prevent Cancer”: To reduce the number of deaths from cervical cancer the Department introduced the HPV vaccine in 2014 and with this an education campaign. Cervical cancer is the 2nd most common cancer experienced by women in South Africa and causes the highest mortality among Black women. Cervical cancer is preventable through the implementation of the HPV vaccine.
The programme targeted grade 4 girls who are 9 years and older in public and special schools. Approximately 550 000 girls in 17 000 primary schools have been targeted every year since then and a total of just over 1 million girls have been vaccinated. The first round of implementation in 2017 took place from 21 February – 28 March 2017
(b) “ Improve Access to Cancer Care” and “Shape Policy Change”: My Department is in the process of finalising the National Policy Framework and Strategy on the Prevention and Control of Cancer; National Policy on Breast Cancer and National Policy of Cervical Cancer and National Policy Framework and Strategy on Palliative Care. These policies inform innovative implementation of services and will create equitable access to cancer care at all levels of service delivery.
(c) “Make the case for investment” and “Inspire Action and Take action”:
My Department is collaborating with the Medical Research Council to develop a National Research Agenda for Cancer in the country. A Workshop hosted by the Medical Research Council on 23-24 February 2017 identified the urgency to establish evidence to make the case for investment in Cancer and identify the cost to government and patients and their families.
(2) (a),(b) and (c)
PROVINCE |
NAME OF HOSPITAL |
NAME OF ONCOLOGIST |
NUMBER OF DAYS PER MONTH |
NUMBER OF CANCER PATIENTS |
Eastern Cape |
Livingstone Hospital |
Dr Adelaide De Freitas |
Full time |
14 350 |
Dr van Emmenes |
Part time at this hospital |
|||
Dr K Thomas |
Part time at this hospital |
|||
Frere Hospital |
Prof BP Pokhare |
Full time |
16 737 |
|
Dr Z Jafta |
Full time |
|||
Dr van Emmenes |
Part time at this hospital |
|||
Dr K Thomas |
Part time at this hospital |
|||
Gauteng |
Steve Biko Academic Hospital |
Prof L Dreosti |
Full time |
21 058 |
Dr Khanyile |
||||
Dr J Kempen |
||||
Dr P Wessels |
||||
Dr H van Vuuren |
||||
Prof R Lakier |
||||
Dr A Hocepied |
||||
Dr K Pillay |
||||
Dr L Hinson |
||||
Dr M Esebeth |
||||
Dr Seoloane |
||||
Dr Westernink |
||||
Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital |
Prof Moosa Patel |
Full time for Adult Oncologist 1 part time Dr for Paeds Oncologist |
36 440 |
|
Dr Atul Laka |
||||
Dr Vinita Philip |
||||
Dr Fadi Waza |
||||
Dr Philippa Ashmore |
||||
Dr Gita Naidu |
||||
Dr Diane Machinnon |
||||
Dr Biance Rowe |
||||
Dr Rosalind Wainwright |
||||
Dr Bassingthwaithe |
||||
Dr Ngoakoane Machlachane |
||||
Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital |
Prof Ruff |
Full time |
39 604 |
|
Dr Wadee |
||||
Dr Demetriou |
||||
Dr S Chan |
||||
Dr R van Eden |
||||
Dr R David |
||||
Dr O Ogude |
||||
Prof Sharma |
||||
Dr Mahomed |
||||
Dr T Mutsoane |
||||
Dr J Kotzen |
||||
Dr T Naidoo |
||||
Dr B Rabin |
||||
Dr B Singh |
||||
Kalafong Tertiary Hospital |
Dr Burger |
Full time |
1 549 |
|
Dr Aung |
||||
Dr Coetzer |
Part time |
|||
Tembisa Teriary Hospital |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital |
None |
N/A |
N/A |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) |
Dr T Naidoo |
Full time |
7 911 |
Dr S Kunene |
||||
Greys Hospital |
Dr O El-koha |
Full time |
4 336 |
|
Dr S Cassimjee |
||||
Dr L Stopforth |
||||
Dr S Naicker |
||||
Addington Hospital |
No Oncologist assigned, patients are referred to IALCH |
1 845 seen and referred |
||
Limpopo |
Pieterburg/Polokwane Hospital |
Dr T Moyaba |
Full time |
9 399 |
Mankweng Hospital |
Patients seen by Gynaecologist who further refer to the Oncologist at Pietersburg Hospital |
831seen and referred |
||
Mpumalanga |
None of the hospitals in the province provide oncology services and there are no Oncologists appointed in the department |
N/A |
N/A |
All cancer patients from Mpumalanga are managed at Steve Biko Academic hospital |
Northern Cape |
Kimberley Hospital Complex |
Dr O Foufie |
Full time |
9 997 |
Dr S Ibrahim |
||||
Kuruman Hospital |
No Oncologists |
N/A |
170 seen and referred |
|
Dr Harry Surtie |
No Oncologist |
N/A |
140 seen and referred |
|
Free State |
Universitas Hospital |
Dr A Sherriff |
Full time (- 2 days Dihlabeng Hospital) |
30 396 |
Dr K Vorster |
Full time (-1 day Boitumelo Hospital) |
|||
Dr H Napo |
Full time (-1 Bongani Hospital) |
|||
Dr P Piek |
Full time |
|||
Dr C Loots |
Full time (-2 days Dihlabeng Hospital) |
|||
Dihlabeng Hospital |
Dr A Sherrif Dr C Loots |
2 days per month 2 days per month |
2040 |
|
Bongani Hospital |
Dr H Napo |
1 day per month |
1930 |
|
Boitumelo Hospital |
Dr K Vorster |
1 day per month |
1420 |
(3) (a), (b) and (c)
PROVINCE |
HOSPITAL |
NUMBER OF PATIENTS WAITING |
|||
BIOPSIES |
CHEMOTHERAPY |
RADIOTHERAPY |
SURGERY |
||
Eastern Cape |
Livingstone |
None |
None |
Number not available but 4 months waiting list |
None |
Frere |
None |
None |
Number not available but 4 weeks waiting list |
Number not available but 4 weeks waiting list |
|
Gauteng |
Steve Biko Academic Hospital |
None |
96 |
220 |
71 |
Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital |
None |
30 |
5 |
267 |
|
Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital |
131 |
None |
380 |
257 |
|
Kalafong Tertiary Hospital |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Tembia Teriatry Hospital |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH) |
N/A (biopsies are done by the referring regional hospitals) |
None |
294 |
Surgery is performed according to the staging of the cancer |
Greys Hospital |
None |
None |
140 |
Surgery is performed according to the staging of the cancer |
|
Addington Hospital |
Biopsies are done at referring Primary Health Care clinics |
Services have been provisionally combined with IALCH |
24 (due to the current status of ADH, no new patients were booked all patients were booked at IALCH – these 24 patients have been rebooked at IALCH) |
Surgery performed at IALCH |
|
Limpopo |
District |
None |
2 |
None |
3 |
Regional |
300 |
98 |
114 |
453 |
|
Tertiary |
250 |
None |
None |
329 |
|
Mpumalanga |
None of the hospitals in the province provide oncology services and there are not Oncologist appointed in the department |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Northern Cape |
Kimberley Hospital Complex |
15 patients |
20 patients |
62 patients |
15 patients per month |
Kuruman Hospital |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Dr Harry Surtie |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Free State |
Universitas Hospital |
N/A |
Number not available but 4 weeks waiting list |
Number not available but 10 weeks waiting list |
Number not available but 8-12 weeks waiting list |
Dihlabeng Hospital |
N/A |
Limited chemotherapy services due to resources |
No radiation offered |
N/A |
|
Bongani Hospital |
N/A |
Limited chemotherapy services due to resources |
No radiation offered |
N/A |
|
Boitumelo Hospital |
N/A |
Limited chemotherapy services due to resources |
No radiation offered |
N/A |
|
North West |
The Province yet to provide the information |
||||
Western Cape |
The Province yet to provide the information |
(4) (a) and (b)
PROVINCE |
HOSPITAL |
EQUIPMENT & MACHINES OUT OF COMMISSION |
COST OF REPAIRING |
Eastern Cape |
Livingstone Hospital |
|
R11 million R50 million R100 000 R5 million |
Frere Hospital |
No machines out of commission |
N/A |
|
Gauteng |
Steve Biko Academic Hospital |
No machines not utilised 2 functional but depend on air-conditioning |
Cost of air-conditioning R830 436.34 |
Dr George Mukhari Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Kalafong Tertiary Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Tembia Teriatry Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Helen Joseph Tertiary Hospital |
None |
None |
|
KwaZulu-Natal |
Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital |
None |
None |
Greys Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Addington Hospital |
2 Linear Accelerators out of order |
Department is engaging the Service Provider regarding repairs |
|
Limpopo |
Pieterburg Hospital |
None |
None |
Mankweng Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Mpumalanga |
None of the hospitals in the province provide oncology services and there are not Oncologist appointed in the department |
N/A |
N/A |
Northern Cape |
Kimberley Hospital Complex |
Fluoroscopy machine |
R650 000 |
Kuruman Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Dr Harry Surtie Hospital |
None |
None |
|
Free State |
Universitas Hospital |
2 Accelerators to be replaced. Due to equipment being more than 20 years old, parts are not available. 2 CT simulators older than 6 years needs replacement |
Unknown |
Dihlabeng Hospital |
|||
Bongani Hospital |
|||
Boitumelo Hospital |
|||
North West |
The Province yet to provide the information |
||
Western Cape |
The Province yet to provide the information |
END.
24 April 2017 - NW921
Krumbock, Mr GR to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether there is any position of (a) chief executive officer, (b) chief financial officer and/or (c) chief operating officer that is currently vacant in each entity reporting to him; if so, (i) how long has each specified position been vacant and (ii) what is the reason for each vacancy; (2) have the vacancies been advertised; if so, (a) were interviews done and (b) on what date will the vacancies be filled; (3) (a) what is the total number of persons who are currently employed in the specified positions in an acting capacity, (b) for what period has each person been acting in each position and (c) has any of the specified persons applied for the positions?
Reply:
(1) Yes.
(a) There is currently a vacancy for the position of the Chief Executive Officer each at the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC);
(i) The position of CEO at the CMS has been vacant since January 2017 and since July 2015 at the OHSC;
(ii) The incumbent at the CMS passed on untimely. The vacancy at the OHSC occurred as a result of the Interim CEO's retirement.
(b) No ;
(c) No.
(2) The position of the CMS Registrar/CEO was advertised on 19 March 2017, whilst the OHSC's position for CEO was advertised on three occasions during 2015/16;
(a) The date for the interviews for the CMS Registrar/CEO is yet to be confirmed. The OHSC conducted interviews following each advertisement;
(b) It is expected that the CMS CEO position will be filled by July 2017. The OHSC will be embarking on the headhunting process as no suitable candidate could be identified. The date for interviews in this regard is yet to be determined.
(3) (a) The total number of persons who are currently employed in an acting capacity is as follows:
One (1) for the CMS appointed as acting CEO. One (1) for the OHSC appointed as acting CEO. Two (2) for National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) - one (1) person to act in the position of CEO and the other to act in the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The NHLS positions are owing to the precautionary suspensions of the CEO and the CFO.
(b) The period for which each person has been acting is - 1 February 2017 for the CMS, 1 August 2015 for the OHSC and 23 February 2017 for the NHLS.
(c) Only the acting CEO of the OHSC has previously applied for the specified position.
END.
24 April 2017 - NW810
Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health
Why is the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality implementing a house policy that will remove doctors from accommodation provided by the Department of Public Works, without providing alternative accommodation such as in a rural hospital?
Reply:
The North West Provincial Department of Health is implementing policy that gives accommodation to the interns, those appointed on country-to-country agreement and those who are doing community services as the first priority. See Annexure A, pages 5 and 6, as well as Annexure B sections 4.1.1 to 4.1.3.
The doctors referred to in the question are neither of the three categories. These doctors have been accommodated by the District but are refusing to pay for the accommodation that they are currently occupying. These doctors have been consulted and were given options that are provided for in the said policy, but they refused to take any of the options or even to pay for the accommodation.
END.
24 April 2017 - NW792
Stander, Ms T to ask the Minister of Health
Whether his department has engaged with the Office of Women in The Presidency to discuss the roll-out of its Sanitary Dignity Campaign to provide sanitary towels to vulnerable and poor girls; if not, why not; if so, (a) in what ways will his department be involved and (b) what are the further relevant details in this regard?
Reply:
(a) Yes, the Department of Health is part of the interdepartmental committee on the Sanitary towel project co-ordinated by the Department of Women in the Presidency.
(b) The Policy is at an early stage of development. Departments are in the process of providing inputs into a draft document.
END.
24 April 2017 - NW689
Gqada, Ms T to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Did (a) his department or (b) any entity reporting to him participate in the Dialogue with the President: Unpacking of the SONA 2017 on Radical Economic Transformation Implementation event hosted at the Oyster Box Hotel in Umhlanga, Durban, on 25 February 2017; if so, what amount was spent in each case; (2) did (a) his department or (b) any entity reporting to him participate in the auction of the (i) souvenirs or (ii) personal belongings of the President of the Republic, Mr Jacob G Zuma; if so, (aa) which items were purchased and (bb) at what cost, in each case
Reply:
(1) (a) and (b) No.
(2) (a) and (b) No.
END.
28 March 2017 - NW452
Brauteseth, Mr TJ to ask the Minister of Health
Whether his department procured any services from and/or made any payments to (a) Mr Mzwanele Manyi, (b) the Progressive Professionals Forum, (c) the Decolonisation Fund and/or (d) the Black Business Council; if not, in each case, why not; if so, what (i) services were procured, (ii) was the total cost, (iii) is the detailed breakdown of such costs, (iv) was the total amount paid, (v) was the purpose of the payments and (vi) is the detailed breakdown of such payments in each case?
Reply:
No.
END.
13 March 2017 - NW158
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What is his department doing to create more posts for (a) interns and (b) qualified doctors in light of the medical graduates in South Africa and those returning from studies abroad; 2) whether he considers commissioning an investigation into the entire placement process so that the flaws in the system may be corrected and the algorithm changed before the next cycle; if not, why not?
Reply:
(1) The South African government in collaboration with various medical schools and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is currently preparing for the reception of South African medical students being trained in Cuba, who are expected to start arriving in South Africa in July 2018 and subsequent years.
The Department is also working closely with the Health professions Council of South Africa’s Sub-Committee for Medical Internship who are responsible to identify and accredit additional sites and posts for doctors to perform internships.
(2) In July 2015, the National Department set in motion a process to improve the placement of community service professionals and medical interns. This included a new online application system called ICSP Online, which replaced the paper-based system in use since 1998. The system was introduced in 2016 for placement of 2017 Medical Interns and Community Service.
During the implementation of the ICSP programme various challenges were experienced with the key process activities, and the use of ICSP Online. An improvement plans has been developed to address these challenges. Copy of the improvement plan is attached for ease of reference.
END.
13 March 2017 - NW145
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Health
How many (a) directors-general, (b) deputy directors-general, (c) chief directors and (d) directors were employed in each provincial department of health of (i) Eastern Cape, (ii) the Free State, (iii) Gauteng, (iv) KwaZulu-Natal and (v) Limpopo at the end of each of the past 10 financial years?
Reply:
The attached table reflects the information as received from the Provinces.
END.
13 March 2017 - NW63
McLoughlin, Mr AR to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What were the reasons for shutting down the 24-hour clinic operating in Roshnee, Ward 21, in the Emfuleni Local Municipality; (2) will the specified clinic be reopened; if not, why not; if so, (a) by what date will the clinic be reopened and (b) what facilities will be offered at the clinic when it is reopened?
Reply:
(1) Roshnee clinic is a municipality clinic under the jurisdiction of the then Vereeniging/Kopanong municipality which was amalgamated to form Emfuleni Municipality in the year 2000.
The clinic had four consulting rooms and rendered municipal health services which were provided 8 hours a day, five days a week excluding weekends. The clinic has never operated for 24 hours. The reasons for the closure of the clinic in 2004 were the low utilisation rate as the clinic headcount was less than 400 per month.
The resolution to close an underutilized health facility was adopted to improve the efficient utilisation of available resources as patients were redirected to Rustervaal clinic which was a 1 kilometer away from Roshnee. The decision was taken with the consultation of the community of Roshnee.
(2) No, there are currently no plans to reopen the Roshnee clinic as the services that were rendered by Roshnee clinic are rendered at Rustervaal clinic through a comprehensive integrated Primary Health Care Package. The infrastructure at Rustervaal clinic was upgraded and staffing levels increased over the years to accommodate the PHC Package of Services and the current headcount of 3450 patients per month. When Roshnee clinic was closed down it was handed back to the community and utilized as a center for children with disabilities. The center in its current state is designed to suit the needs of children with disabilities and no longer suitable or compliant for utilisation as a health facility.
END.
13 March 2017 - NW06
Madisha, Mr WM to ask the Minister of Health
(1) Can he indicate, with regard to the high risks of spreading infectious diseases (details furnished), medical checks are carried out on all healthcare professionals upon (a)(i) entry and (ii) exit of hospitals and (b) routinely; if not, why not in each case; if so, what are the relevant details of the frequency of such checks; (2) whether sufficient N95 masks are allocated to hospitals and health professionals; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
(1) The Department of Health undertakes annual assessments of health care professionals against possible infections, generally, through occupational health units located within health facilities. Recently, the Department has decided to put together an additional policy, to look at TB specifically. While the policy is still being developed, with reviews being undertaken by all relevant stakeholders including associations of health professional workers and legal units, it has already been determined that medical checks for TB will be undertaken more frequently. The policy will be implemented once it has been approved by the National Health Council (NHC);
(2) The Department of Health provides N95 masks to all health care professionals and surgical masks for the use of patients. These are however used more consistently in high risk (for infection) areas of health facilities. These masks are provided on the basis of a tender that has been awarded to a service provider, following negotiations for lowering of the masks' prices
END.
13 March 2017 - NW146
James, Dr WG to ask the Minister of Health
How many (a) directors-general, (b) deputy directors-general, (c) chief directors and (d) directors were employed in each provincial department of health of (i) Mpumalanga, (ii) North West, (iii) Northern Cape and (iv) Western Cape at the end of each of the past 10 financial years?
Reply:
The attached table reflects the information as obtained from the Provinces.
ANNEXURE 1
END.