Questions and Replies

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24 October 2022 - NW3655

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Tambo, Mr S to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What are the details of all registered COVID-19 vaccines; (2) whether he has found that the public has access to all registered COVID-19 vaccines; if not, what steps of intervention has he taken to fulfil the mandate of equitable access to healthcare; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. The Covid-19 vaccines registered by SAHPRA:

 Name of Vaccine

Applicant

Registration number

Date of registration

Covid -19 vaccine Janssen (Ad 26 viral vectors)

Janssen Pharmaceutica

550849

30/03/2021

Comirnaty (m RNA)

Pfizer Laboratories

560002

25/01/2022

Coronavac (Sinovac)

Curanto Pharma (Pty) Ltd

560232 

14/06/2022

COVID-19 VACCINE MC PHARMA (Sinopharm BBIP)

MC Pharma (Pty) Ltd

560795

31/01/2022

COVID-19 VACCINE LHC (Sinopharm verocell)

LHC Pharmaceuticals (Pty) Ltd

560647

24/05/2022

Covovax (rS-protein)

Cipla (Pty) Ltd

561236

16/08/2022

2. Covid-19 vaccines which are part of the National Vaccine Programme are accessible to all citizens of South Africa, at both public and private sector facilities, at no cost to the vaccinee Given the breadth of the programme, the Department is thus fulfilling its mandate of ensuring equitable access to healthcare. The two vaccines available as part of the National vaccine programme are Pfizer Laboratory’s Comirnaty vaccine and Janssen Pharmaceutica’s Covid -19 vaccine Janssen. Both vaccines have demonstrated efficacy and safety based on clinical studies that have been undertaken, the results of which have been published in peer reviewed medical journals.

There is no legislation in South Africa that compels manufacturers to limit the sale of medicines and vaccines to government alone. The vaccine manufacturers may market their commodities in accordance with the Medicines and Related Substances Act, (Act 101 of 1965).

Therefore, all other vaccines registered by SAHPRA may be made available to the public should the applicant/manufacturer decide to market the vaccine. However, this is a decision that is made by the applicant/manufacturer.

The department has worked with a wide range of private providers, donors and non-government organisations to establish fixed and mobile vaccination sites, and to ensure that vaccines are available to the public.

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3656

Profile picture: Tambo, Mr S

Tambo, Mr S to ask the Minister of Health

Noting that a certain person (details furnished) has interest by virtue of being a subsidiary of Aspen, which is a direct beneficiary, (a) how and (b) what (i) are the reasons that the chairperson of the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority board became a member of the COVID-19 vaccine procurement board and (ii) does he make of the possibility of conflict of interest in this regard?

Reply:

The assertions made in the question have no substance since there has never been a COVID-19 vaccine procurement board and the Chair of SAHPRA has never been involved in vaccine procurement. The SAHPRA Chair is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19 Vaccines (VMAC).

(a) (b) (i) (ii) Not applicable

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3689

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Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health

Noting the high shortage of theatre nurses across the Republic, what steps has his department put in place to fill relevant vacancies?

Reply:

The Department acknowledges that Theatre Nurses are amongst other imperative categories of Health Care Workers that are marginally available in the Health System, particularly in the Public Health Sector. This amongst others is due to the shortage in numbers and the competition of these resources between the Public Health Sector, Private Sector and Developed Countries.

Further to the above fact, the general budget cuts in the Public Service in the past three financial years (including the Cost of Employment) has negatively affected filling of posts. As a result, not all posts can be filled simultaneously. This has resulted in stringent measures implemented to control filling of positions including key line function posts to avoid over expenditure on CoE.

However, to ensure that services are at least not affected, the Department of Health has implemented the following strategies, amongst others:

  • Prioritisation of the posts in the Annual Recruitment Plan – where funding permits
  • Prioritisation of the posts for conditional grant funding
  • Filling of replacement posts considered and approved weekly
  • Employment of health professionals on contract bases to strengthen capacity
  • Prioritization of these categories for contract employment and to permanent employment where funding permits at the end of their contracts

Awarding of bursaries yearly to internal and external candidates to study further in various disciplines including Theatre Nurses.

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3686

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Motsepe, Ms CCS to ask the Minister of Health

Whether his department has any measures put in place to absorb interns on a full-time basis after their completion of internship programmes in the public health sector; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

There are various Internship programmes offered in the health fields of studies. In most instances, the graduates are required to perform a compulsory one-year community service programme in accordance with the Community Service Policy, after completing their Internship Programme.

It is the responsibility of the Department of Health to provide these graduates with a platform to perform the required Community Service Programme. On completion of the said Community Service Programme, only graduates who are recipients of bursaries from the Public Services are given contract employments to work-back their bursary obligations in terms of their Bursary Contracts with the respective Provinces that offered them bursary.

All other graduates after completion of their community service, are given an ample opportunity to apply for available positions as advertised in the Public Service and/or the Private Sector and there is no automatic absorption.

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3668

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Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

Following three months of morphine shortages and noting that Barrs is the only supplier of morphine for the public sector in the Republic, (a) what (i) measures have been taken to ensure the introduction of more stakeholders and suppliers of morphine and (ii) is his department doing to counter the crisis and (b) how will the specified interventions be sustainable in the future?

Reply:

It is the Department of Health’s policy to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare through availability of safe, effective and cost-effective medicines at the appropriate level of care. The National Department of Health manages contracts of approximately 1 200 essential medicine items. Contracts are awarded to suppliers following an open tender process in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act. Barrs was appointed to supply morphine powder as the company submitted the highest scoring compliant bid.

(a) (i) morphine is currently available in different formulations from various manufacturers, i.e. morphine tablets, morphine injection and morphine powder. Aside from morphine powder, there were no supply constraints related to the other formulations. The Department has recently been notified of the availability of an oral liquid formulation of morphine which will be placed on tender in the next cycle. Provinces and facilities are able to source this formulation from the identified supplier on a quotation basis.

(ii) At the time of the supply constraint, availability of morphine powder at public sector facilities was 76%. To make up for the shortfall, the National Department of Health (NDOH) sourced the morphine powder from alternative local suppliers using the quotation process. Other formulations of morphine were also available. There was thus no crisis in the public sector. The impact of the supply constraint with morphine powder was felt more keenly in the private sector.

(b) The NDoH will continue to monitor supplier performance and implement actions in mitigation as appropriate based on the root cause leading to the supply constraint.

 

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3569

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Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

Whether, in view of recent research that calculates that overweight and obesity issues are costing the Republic’s health system R33 billion a year (details furnished) and that this suggests an urgent need for preventative, population-level interventions to reduce overweight and obesity rates, his department has a strategy in place to address the specified issues; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

The cited research estimated the direct healthcare costs associated with treatment of weight-related conditions which included cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory diseases, and digestive diseases. The Department has strategies in place to address obesity and weight related conditions.

The strategy for the prevention and control of obesity in South Africa 2015 – 2020, has six goals dealing with intersectoral collaboration, importance of physical activity, prevention in early childhood, accessibility to healthy food choices, education of communities, and surveillance and monitoring and evaluation. This strategy has been reviewed using interrogation of the theory of change in line with South Africa’s international policy commitments and national legislation, policy and plans, a literature review of international and national good practices, wide stakeholder engagement through online survey, physical meetings, and a national workshop. The outcome of the review informed the drafting of the updated Obesity Strategy with set goals, specific objectives, and activities to reduce obesity rates in South Africa. The focus of the draft updated Obesity Strategy is on empowering South Africans to make healthy choices by enabling equitable access to healthy food, physical activity opportunities and a capacitated health care system that supports the prevention and management of obesity. The updated Obesity Strategy will be finalised by the end of this financial year (2022/23).

 

END.

24 October 2022 - NW3611

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Weber, Ms AMM to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether, with reference to the reply to question 912 on 14 October 2019, in which he confirmed that the illegal sale of medication and fake doctors was out of control and the fact that the Medicines and Related Substances Act, Act 19 of 1965, is in place to combat the illegal sale of medication from cars and/or any other avenues and the practice of fake doctors for abortions, his department keeps a record of the babies who are aborted at seven to nine months and are found dead or alive in (a) landfill sites, (b) dumping sites, (c) dams and (d) sewage and drains; if not, why not; if so, (2) whether his department follows up on any of the specified cases into how the babies landed at the specified sites; if not, why not; if so, does the investigating process include finding where the babies came from?

Reply:

(1)(a)-(d) The Department of Health does not collect or collate the data of illegal abortions of babies who are aborted at seven to nine months. Any case of dumped or abandoned babies are reported to the police department as criminal records. The department, further does not classify babies that are seen at its facilities into how they were born, such that the record does exist of babies that were either found (a) landfill (b) dumping sites (c) dams (d) sewage or drains.

(2) Department of Heath does not follow up on any of the specified cases into how the babies landed at the specified sites. South African Police Services is mandated to conduct any criminal activity of which dumping the baby is one of them.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3235

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Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

(a) What kind of impact has load shedding had on public (i) hospitals and (ii) clinics that do not have electricity backup facilities since 1 January 2022 and (b) which provinces are affected the most?

Reply:

a) (i) Hospitals

All public hospitals have backup generators. Backup generators are only meant to run as backup for 2 to 3 hours for life saving equipment in emergency areas. Service delivery therefore gets negatively affected in areas which are not powered by generators.

(ii) Clinics and Community Health Centres (CHCS)

Backup power in the form of generators is available in 42% of clinics and 86% of CHCs nation-wide.

  • Impact of load shedding on PHC facilities that do not have backup power.
  • The electronic Health Patient Record System works on electrical power and during power failures staff cannot retrieve patients files and patients have to wait until power is on thus increasing patient waiting times
  • Patients physical examination and deliveries becomes impossible in dark consulting rooms resulting in unnecessary referrals of patients to hospitals.
  • Water interruption due to the water pumps in reservoirs requiring electricity to function.
  • Telecommunication break down affecting receiving calls from communities and contacting call centre for ambulance.

(b) Provinces that are affected the most:

Clinics: The Table below indicates that only Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal have more than 70% coverage with regard to backup power in clinics.

District

Total number of clinics

Facilities have backup electricity

Average % scored

ec Eastern Cape Province

723

145

20%

fs Free State Province

202

32

16%

gp Gauteng Province

326

267

82%

kz KwaZulu-Natal Province

580

418

72%

lp Limpopo Province

452

113

25%

mp Mpumalanga Province

226

88

39%

nc Northern Cape Province

124

24

19%

nw North West Province

259

80

31%

wc Western Cape Province

175

88

50%

Average / Total

3067

1288

42%

  • 1288 out of 3067 Clinics has backup electricity
  • 1779 clinics do not have backup electricity

Community Health Centres: The Table below indicates that only Free State Province (36%) has less than 70% coverage with regard to backup power in community Health Centres.

District

Total number of CHCs

Facilities having backup electricity

Average % scored

ec Eastern Cape Province

41

34

82%

fs Free State Province

10

4

36%

gp Gauteng Province

38

34

90%

kz KwaZulu-Natal Province

21

20

94%

lp Limpopo Province

26

20

77%

mp Mpumalanga Province

55

48

88%

nc Northern Cape Province

30

26

85%

nw North West Province

47

43

92%

wc Western Cape Province

48

42

87%

Average / Total

316

272

86%

  • 272 out of 316 CHCs has backup electricity
  • 44 CHCs do not have backup electricity

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3304

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Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What measures has his department put in place to address the (a) current yellow fever vaccine shortages plaguing the Republic and (b) contingency plans of the Republic to prevent future shortages; (2) (a) how is his department expediting the release of the Sanofi stock of yellow fever vaccines that is currently with the (i) National Control Laboratory and/or (ii) SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) in Bloemfontein and (b) by what date does his department envisage the release date of the Sanofi stock of yellow fever vaccines; (3) whether the SAHPRA has been approached to licence and/or register yellow fever vaccines from different manufactures; if not, why not; if so, what is the status of the Sanofi yellow fever vaccine?

Reply:

1. (a) The National Department of Health manages contracts for approximately 1 200 line items including vaccines. Currently, there are no supply constraints in the public sector related to yellow fever vaccines.

(b) To ensure that there are no supply constraints at facilities, a number of interventions are implemented. These interventions are informed by the cause of the supply challenge.

  • Where the supply constraint is due to operational matters, re is a delay e.g. machine breakdown, labour unrest, theft, post importation testing, etc., the National Department of Health (NDOH) would source products from alternative local suppliers with registered products using the quotation process.
  • Should the supply constraint result in a longer term supply challenge, such as regulatory matters including amendments to the dossier that requires approval from South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), including a change/addition of an active pharmaceutical ingredient source and/or manufacturing site, the transfer of ownership of dossiers which results in a change of marketing authorization, delays in the issuing of the permits for imported medicines, manufactured products requiring additional quality checks by SAHPRA, etc. and no alternative local suppliers with registered products are available; an application would be made to SAHPRA for the acquisition of unregistered medicines for human use in South Africa Act use in terms of Section 21 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act.
  • During the contracting for medicines, it is a special contractual condition that suppliers provide the NDoH with information related to their buffer stock holding, plans within the pipeline and data related to deliveries made to facilities. The DoH uses this information to manage supplier performance including the imposition of penalties where appropriate. Furthermore, the data is used for planning purposes including demand and supply planning.

2. (a) It must be noted that the National Control Laboratory and SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) are independent of the NDoH. Nevertheless, written communication was sent to SAHPRA from the NDOH to request that the release of yellow fever vaccine stock be expedited.

(b) SAHPRA has subsequently approved the Yellow Fever Vaccine on the 23rd of September 2022 and the stock is currently with the distributor for delivery to facilities that have placed orders.

3. Yellow fever vaccine is a low volume product. The low demand for the vaccine resulted in the current contracted supplier writing-off 1 505 units. The low demand makes market entry very difficult.

With regard to the status of the Sanofi yellow fever vaccine, SAHPRA has subsequently approved the Yellow Fever Vaccine on the 23rd of September 2022 and the stock is currently with the distributor for delivery to facilities that have placed orders.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3305

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Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

What (a) research has been conducted to determine the decline in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) within each province, (b) is the current level of FAS in each province and (c) was the previous available FAS statistics within each province?

Reply:

Foetal alcohol syndrome is a congenital disorder caused by alcohol exposure on the foetus during pregnancy. Though it is a congenital disorder which manifests post-delivery (anywhere from birth to eight years based on the severity of the condition), FAS is not a genetic condition but rather the consequence of a socio-behavioural matter.

The diagnosis of FAS is purely clinical and has many complexities. To be diagnosed with FAS, some or all of a set of criteria must be met including, the presence of characteristic physical features of FAS, documented prenatal alcohol exposure, pre and post-natal growth deficiencies, brain growth deficiencies, neurobehavioral/developmental impairment which may include or exclude cognitive impairments.

The National Department of Health is reimplementing the birth defects notification system following the approval of the Clinical Genetic Service Guideline in November 2021. The aim of this system is to collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate congenital disorders data. This system reports on data collected at birth, making reporting of FAS through this system a challenge as the physical features of FAS (which initiate further assessment) only become more pronounced as the child grows delaying diagnosis.

To strengthen the identification of FAS and other congenital disorders, NDOH is incorporating the prevention and management of congenital disorders in the Integrated School Health Program training, ensuring that School Health Nurses are capacitated in screening learners for congenital disorders including FAS. It is through this platform that data for preliminary FAS cases and other congenital conditions will be reported.

a) The Department of Health has not conducted a research to determine fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) rates in the provinces. The department relies on research conducted by academia from the different tertiary institutions for statistics on FAS. Research on FAS and other fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) was conducted by the Universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch, in collaboration with Foundation for Alcohol related Research (FARR).

b) The current level of FAS in the province is not immediately known.

c) The previous national research was conducted by FARR in collaboration with Stellenbosch University in 2016. This research focused only on 3 provinces: Gauteng, Northern Cape and Western Cape, and it reported national fetal alcohol spectrum disorders prevalence rates ranging from 29 – 290 per 1000 live births.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3276

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Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What is the (a) total number of hospital beds that are available for mental health illness patients and (b) breakdown of the beds in each province; (2) what is the total number of (a) mental health related admissions and (b) public healthcare facilities? NW4034E

Reply:

1. (a) There are 14004 number of beds available for mental health patients

(b) The following table reflects the details in this regard, according to the Provincial Departments of Health:

Breakdown of the beds in each province

Table 1.

Province

Total beds

Eastern Cape

1816

Free State

927

Gauteng

2478

KwaZulu-Natal

3028

Limpopo

1569

Mpumalanga

329

Northern Cape

344

North West

1446

Western Cape

2067

TOTAL

14004

2. (a) The information from the District Health Information System indicates that there were 131 837 mental health separations (admissions) during 2021.

(b) There are 328 public mental health facilities in the country

Stand-alone specialized psychiatric hospitals

Psychiatric units attached to general hospitals

Facilities listed to conduct 72-hours assessments

24

40

264

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3406

Profile picture: Clarke, Ms M

Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)(a) What indicators are used to determine the (i) best and (ii) worst performing health districts and (b) when last was the specified assessment conducted; (2) what are the relevant details of the complete list of the ranking of health districts, including the (a) name and (b) province in which they are situated?

Reply:

1. (a) District Health Services currently use the Ideal Clinic Framework’s indicators to assess district performance. The reason for using this framework is because it covers aspects of services that districts should provide to persons in the community setting, in PHC facilities to the level of referral to higher level care if needed. The Framework is a comprehensive evaluation measure and it’s elements cover administrative processes, aspects of clinical care, medicines supplies, access to laboratory tests, human resources, finance, security, cleanliness, referral, transport, EMS, infrastructure, health information management, internal communication, external communication, governance and intersectoral collaboration.

(b) The specified assessments were conducted in the 4th quarter (January – March 2022) of the previous (2021/2022) financial year. Peer reviews and therefor the collation of data is done only once a year in the fourth quarter and the next review will be January to March 2023.

2. Details of complete list according to the 2022 review is in the table below:

  • (a) Best performing district are from numbers 1 to 20; and
  • (b) Worst performing districts are from numbers 35 to 52

Ranking No for 2021/22 financial year

Province

District

% of Facilities with IC status 2021/22

1

FS

Xhariep District Municipality

100%

2

GP

City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

100%

3

KZN

Amajuba District Municipality

100%

4

KZN

Zululand District Municipality

100%

5

KZN

Umzinyathi District Municipality

98%

6

GP

City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality

96%

7

LP

Capricorn District Municipality

95%

8

WC

Garden Route District Municipality

95%

9

KZN

Uthukela District Municipality

95%

10

KZN

iLembe District Municipality

92%

11

KZN

uMgungundlovu District Municipality

90%

12

GP

City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality

89%

13

KZN

Harry Gwala District Municipality

85%

14

WC

City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

85%

15

KZN

King Cetshwayo District Municipality

84%

16

GP

West Rand District Municipality

84%

17

FS

Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality

83%

18

GP

Sedibeng District Municipality

82%

19

MP

Gert Sibande District Municipality

81%

20

NW

Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality

80%

21

EC

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

77%

22

FS

Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality

76%

23

KZN

eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

74%

24

WC

Overberg District Municipality

74%

25

WC

Cape Winelands District Municipality

70%

26

KZN

Umkhanyakude District Municipality

69%

27

MP

Nkangala District Municipality

67%

28

NW

Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District Municipality

63%

29

KZN

Ugu District Municipality

58%

30

NC

Pixley ka Seme District Municipality

58%

31

NW

Bojanala Platinum District Municipality

55%

32

FS

Fezile Dabi District Municipality

51%

33

NW

Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality

49%

34

MP

Ehlanzeni District Municipality

40%

35

EC

Sarah Baartman District Municipality

39%

36

WC

Central Karoo District Municipality

33%

37

WC

West Coast District Municipality

33%

38

LP

Waterberg District Municipality

30%

39

EC

Amathole District Municipality

28%

40

FS

Lejweleputswa District Municipality

26%

41

LP

Vhembe District Municipality

20%

42

EC

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

20%

43

EC

Chris Hani District Municipality

20%

44

NC

Frances Baard District Municipality

20%

45

EC

Joe Gqabi District Municipality

19%

46

LP

Mopani District Municipality

17%

47

NC

Namakwa District Municipality

16%

48

LP

Sekhukhune District Municipality

10%

49

NC

Zwelentlanga Fatman Mgcawu District Municipality

10%

50

EC

Alfred Nzo District Municipality

9%

51

EC

Oliver Tambo District Municipality

7%

52

NC

John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality

2%

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3521

Profile picture: King, Ms C

King, Ms C to ask the Minister of Health

With regard to the 13,65 billion dollars that was contributed towards the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS (a) from which budget and/or line item was the contribution made and (b) how will the contribution be (i) used and (ii) of benefit to the Republic?

Reply:

It is not correct that the Department has contributed 13,65 Billion dollars towards the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. In order to put the record straight. South Africa has pledged 13,65 million dollars to the Global Fund as a contribution towards the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS. This is part of the country’s role as a member the global community in making a contribution towards addressing the challenges that are faced by the world in the fight against HIV/AIDS and Malaria, which is 36,5% more than our previous pledge.

a) The Global Fund Pledge of US$13 million was sourced from the Department of Health budget under the HIV/AIDS allocation as part of the pledge to Multi-National and Regional bodies/structures (United Nations and SADC). The Department provides for this allocation under Goods and Services, Posting Item Code: Membership & Professional Bodies. The US$650 thousand portion of the pledge was contributed by the South African National AIDS Council sourced from the private sector, as one of their 17 Sectors that support the country in shaping and implementing the HIV/AIDS and TB response.

b) (i) The contribution will be used to support the global intervention in the fight against HIV/AIDS in order to meet the global targets of 95-95-95 and Malaria elimination.

(ii) The benefits are as follows: South Africa is an implementor of Global Fund supported projects. Currently, the country received US$515 million through 4 Primary Recipients for implementation of various projects and programmes addressing HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. Included in the above figure, the National Department of Health is awarded US$364,357 million to implement the health driven interventions. Through the support from Global Fund, we will increase our drive to institutionalize granular, targeted, and gender-sensitive data systems and community-led approaches to monitor and address new HIV infections, especially among key populations and younger populations. Further to the attainment of the HIV/AIDS targets, the country will continue to improve the fight against Malaria, as part of the 8 countries that are called Malaria Elimination 8 or called E8 for short. It is our view further that the Global Fund support for Malaria programme, will include the prevention, surveillance, and treatment.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3362

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Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

Whether, in view of the time that had lapsed since he was advised of the issue of Mr Sipho Bulose, prison number 201181097, any steps have been taken in this regard; if not, why not; if so, on what date does he intend to intervene and ensure adequate medical care is granted to the person?

Reply:

The KwaZulu Department of Health indicates that the Honourable Member was informed of the difficulty to trace the complainant, as the contact number that the complainant was not reachable on the contact number that the Honourable Member had provided to the department. The hospital as well as the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial office contacted the complainant on several occasions to obtain additional information from the complainant as the information provided was not sufficient to facilitate investigation. Mr Thulani Bulose did not answer his cell phone every time he was contacted, the calls went to voicemail. The following information is required to enable King Edward hospital to investigate the complaint:

  • Alternative contact details of the complainant, Mr Thulani Bulose (e-mail address or another cell number)
  • ID number of patient (Mr Sipho Bulose)
  • Hospital number of patient (Mr Sipho Bulose)
  • Dates and ward/s at which patient (Mr Sipho Bulose) was admitted at King Edward Hospital
  • Clarity on the assistance that is sought from King Edward Hospital

A request was made to the Honourable Member to provide alternative contact details of the complainant to enable the hospital to contact the complainant to obtain the additional information. The Honourable Member provided a prison number of the patient instead. The hospital could not trace the patient file using the prison number as prison numbers are not used as a unique identifier for filing of patient files. The complaint was therefore closed as guided by the National Guideline to manage complaints, compliments and suggestions (2022) that states the following: When additional information is required from the patient or family/supporting person to enable further investigation of the complaint, the patient or family/supporting person should be contacted to obtain the information. In instances where the patient or family/supporting person could not be reached on the first attempt, he/ she should be contacted at least twice thereafter for two consecutive weeks. If the patient or family/supporting person could still not be traced, the complaint can be seen as resolved (closed). In such circumstance the dates and the methods used to contact the patient or family/supporting person should be documented. The same applies when a patient or family/supporting person cannot be traced to conduct redress.

A new complaint will be opened to investigate the complaint lodged by Mr Thulani Bulose when the information requested as outline is submitted.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3393

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Mathulelwa, Ms B to ask the Minister of Health

What plans have been put in place to insource security guards working in Taylor Bequest Provincial Hospital in Matatiele?

Reply:

According to the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health, where this hospital is located, the Provinces indicates that there are no plans in-source security services at this facility.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3102

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Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Since 1 January 2020, what (a) total number of corruption cases have been found in all state hospitals throughout the Republic, (b) are the relevant details of the specified corruption cases and (c) was the total amount in each such case; (2) what (a) total number of disciplinary hearings were conducted and (b) was the outcome in each specified case in the specified period? NW3808E

Reply:

The following table reflects the details as received from the Provincial Departments of Health

EASTERN CAPE

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

02

Yes

Nil

02

01 Dismissal

       

01 Disciplinary on progress

 

FREE STATE

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of

Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

05

Yes

R24 259 970.00

1

Disciplinary case – employee was dismissed, 4 still under investigation

 

GAUTENG

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

21

Yes

R2 752 210.85

0

0

All the 21 still under investigations

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

04

Yes

R5 610 244.85

04

1 awaiting sanction.

1 dismissed.

2 still pending.

 

KWAZULU-NATAL

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

21

Yes

R2 864 840.00.

04

02 officials 3 month without pay

       

01 Written warning

       

01 official dismissed

       

02 officials resigned before hearing.

The remaining cases are is still pending.

 

LIMPOPO

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

0

0

0

0

0

Limpopo confirms that the cases they have are for Fraud not corruption.

 

MPUMALANGA

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

09

Yes

R 58 380 442.25

09

09 cases involved 9 people whose matters were finalized and 5 are pending sanctions.

 

NORTHWEST

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

7

Yes

R27 328 762

2

The two (2) disciplinary actions were for the Corruption cases, wherein One (1) was given two months without salary sanction, and the other One (1) was dismissed.

Five (5) still in the investigation process.

 

WESTERN CAPE

       

1(a)Total No. Corruption Case

1(b)Corruption Case

1(c)Total Amount

2(a)No. of Disciplinary Case

2(b) Outcome

07

Yes

R357 954.80

17

6 Dismissal

       

2 Final written warning

       

1 written warning

       

8 Disciplinary hearing in progress

The 7 corruption cases involved 17 people, of which 9 were concluded and 8 still outstanding.

Information on the Northern Cape Province will be furnished as soon as it is received.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3091

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What total number of community service (a) doctors and (b) nurses have not been placed for the 2022 cycle; (2) what (a) total number of community service (i) doctors and (ii) nurses have had their contracts terminated in each province and (b) are the reasons for the termination; (3) (a) what plans are in place to absorb the doctors and nurses and (b) will the department consider allowing the private sector to absorb community service doctors in order to complete their community service years in cases where community service doctors have either had their contracts terminated as a result of budgetary constraints and/or have not been placed?

Reply:

1. (a) According to the Internship and Community Service Programme all eligible applicants who met the requirement for allocations and submitted their application on time we all allocated. However, the following community service doctors were excluded due to the reasons provided in the respective columns:

2022 Annual Cycle - Applicant who was not placed during allocation phace - Doctors and Nurses

 

Field of Study

Already placed in previous cycle

Applicant deceased

Applicant declined allocation

Late - Applications

Moved to a future cycle - availability date outside current cycle

Future cycle - based on Institutions and Provinces feedback

Removed from Allocation - Based on Institutional Feedback

Grand Total

Community Service

Medical Practitioner

3

 

74

6

50

20

1

154

 

Professional Nurse

53

1

24

27

119

10

 

234

Grand Total

 

56

1

98

33

169

30

1

388

2022 Midyear Cycle - Applicant who was not placed during allocation phace - Doctors and Nurses

 

Field of Study

Applicant declined allocation

Late - Applications

Moved to a future cycle - availability date outside cycle

Grand Total

Community Service

Medical Practitioner

11

7

1

19

 

Professional Nurse

 

8

 

8

Grand Total

 

11

15

1

27

2. (a) The table below indicate the total number of (i) doctors and (ii) nurse applicants who was placed in the 2022 cycle’s but terminate their allocation after placement.

2022 Community Service applicants who terminated their contracts

Field of Study

ECP

FSP

GAU

KZN

Lim

MPU

NCP

NWP

WCP

Grand Total

Medical Practitioner

   

4

1

2

 

1

 

2

10

Professional Nurse

8

 

11

3

         

22

Total

8

0

15

4

2

0

1

0

2

32

(b) The main reason why applicants terminated their contracts was medical and personal reasons. Also 1 death in Limpopo Medical Officer.

(3) (a) The Department is ensuring that all Statutory community service posts for both doctors and nurses are absorbed within the Provincial Equitable Share and the Human Resources Training Grant (HRTG) Budgets

(b) Currently only Organs of State (i.e. South African Health Product Regulator Authority (SAHPRA), National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) and Office of Health Standard Compliance (OHSC) are included in accommodating community service doctors and nurses. The model to accommodate the private health sector to absorb community service doctors and nurses will be explored during the review of the Community Service Policy that is on course.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3407

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Considering that there are reports of shortages of 150 medications in the Republic, what are the relevant details of the (a) list of medications that have stock shortages, (b) plans that his department has in place to address the critical shortages and (c) date by which the shortages will be eradicated; (2) what are the treatment plans for patients who have chronic conditions, but have run out of their medications?

Reply:

1. (a) It is the Departments of Health’s policy to ensure equitable access to quality healthcare through availability of safe, effective and cost-effective medicines at the appropriate level of care. The National Department of Health (NDoH) manages contracts for approximately 1 200 line items. During the contracting for medicines, it is a special contractual condition that suppliers provide the NDoH with information related to their buffer stock holding, plans within the pipeline and data related to deliveries made to facilities. The NDoH uses this information to manage supplier performance including the imposition of penalties where appropriate. Furthermore, the data is used for planning purposes including demand and supply planning.

Medicine availability is monitored using supplier and provincial level data and this allows visibility of stock availability and as such allows for risk mitigation by the National Department of Health.

However, the recent media reports are of shortages related to availability in the private sector. Availability of the medicines referred to in these reports was above 90% in the public sector. There were no public sector supply challenges of chronic medicines for first and second line agents as reported recently in the media.

(b) There are a number of interventions implemented to reduce supply shortages at facilities. These interventions are informed by the cause of the supply challenge.

  • Where the supply constraint may result in a longer term supply challenge, such as regulatory matters including amendments to the dossier that requires approval from South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), including a change/addition of an active pharmaceutical ingredient source and/or manufacturing site, the transfer of ownership of dossiers which results in a change of marketing authorization, delays in the issuing of the permits for imported medicines, manufactured products requiring additional quality checks by SAHPRA, etc. and no alternative local suppliers with registered products are available; an application would be made to SAHPRA for the acquisition of unregistered medicines for human use in South Africa Act use in terms of Section 21 of the Medicines and Related Substances Act.
  • Should the supply constraint be due to operational matters, e.g. machine breakdown, labour unrest, theft, post importation testing, etc., the National Department of Health (NDOH) would source products from alternative local suppliers with registered products using the quotation process.

(c) In any supply chain, shortages can never be eradicated. However, actions can be taken to identify problems that could lead to a supply challenge and to deal with each challenge as it arises. See response in (b) above. Each case is treated individually depending on the root cause, and the magnitude of the supply challenge.

2. In the event that a supply challenge cannot be resolved, a circular is sent to all provinces indicating therapeutic alternatives as per the Standard Treatment Guidelines (STGs) which will guide clinicians to manage patients until supply is sourced.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3455

Profile picture: Pambo, Mr V

Pambo, Mr V to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What is the (a) total bed capacity of public hospitals in the Republic and (b) backlog in this regard; (2) whether there are any plans to build new hospitals; if not, why not; if so, (a) what number of hospitals is envisaged to be built and (b) in which (i) provinces and (ii) towns?

Reply:

1.(a) In terms of the regulations relating to categories of hospitals, there are 100 656 approved beds in the republic and as of July 2022 the total number of usable beds was 85 126:

Province

Approved beds as per regulations relating to categories of hospitals

Usable beds as of July 2022

Eastern Cape

15436

13201

Free State

5372

4786

Gauteng

18833

18000

Kwa-Zulu

26213

20512

Limpopo

10603

7660

Mpumalanga

5848

4747

Northwest

5738

4461

Northern Cape

2287

1785

Western Cape

10326

9974

South Africa

100 656

85126

(b) There is no backlog in terms of new bed capacity that must be provided in the public hospitals.

The total bed capacity is determined using the beds per population ratio (the difference between the current bed capacity (approved) of public hospitals and the optimal bed capacity). According to Statistic South Africa mid- year population estimates of 2019, the total population in South Africa was 58,606,416 and this translated into 1.7 beds per 1000 population. The international benchmark for optimal beds per population is 1.5.

While the overall number of hospital beds per 1,000 population is in line with international references, the distribution of beds across the districts and levels of care appear to be extremely unequal (District Health Barometer 2019/20).

The table below provides a breakdown according to provinces.

Province

Approved beds as per regulations relating to categories of hospitals

StatsSA mid-year population estimates

Beds per 1000 population

Eastern Cape

15436

6,533,465

2,4

Free State

5372

2,971,708

1,8

Gauteng

18833

15,099,801

1,2

Kwa-Zulu

26213

11,503,917

2,3

Limpopo

10603

5,853,193

1,8

Mpumalanga

5848

4,598,333

1,3

Northwest

5738

4,053,179

1,4

Northern Cape

2287

1,240,254

1,8

Western Cape

10326

6,760,561

1,5

South Africa

100 656

58,606,416

1,7

 

The value of the indicator decreased to a lesser degree (less beds/population) for Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West.

(2) Below is a list of new hospitals in the pipeline to be constructed: 2 (a) and (b) (i) (ii)

PROVINCE

HOSPITAL NAME

NUMBER OF BEDS

STATUS

TOWN

Eastern Cape

Greenville District Hospital

100 Beds

Design

Bizana

 

Sipetu District

100 Beds

Construction

Mount Frere

 

Khutsong TB Hospital

124 Beds

Construction

Matatiele

 

Bambisana District Hospital

100 Beds

Construction Started

Nyandeni

 

Zithulele District Hospital

157 Beds

Construction Started

King Dalindyebo

 

Nelson Mandela Academic

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Queberha

Free State

Managaung District Hospital

330 Beds

Clinical Brief

Bloemfontein

 

Free State Psychiatric Hospital

877 Beds

Clinical Brief

Bloemfontein

 

Parys Hospital

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Parys

 

Dihlabeng District Hospital

212 Beds

Tender

Kroonstad

Gauteng

Lilian Ngoyi Regional Hospital

556 Beds

Tender

Johannesburg

 

Soshanguve Hospital

400 Beds

Land Acquisition

Pretoria (Soshanguve)

 

George Mukhari Academic Hospital

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Pretoria

(Ga-rankua)

 

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Johannesburg (Soweto)

KwaZulu Natal

UMzimkhulu Mental Hospital

90 Beds

Design

UMzimkhulu

 

King Edward 8th

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Durban

 

Northern KZN Tertiary Hospital

To be confirmed

Feasibility Study

Durban

Limpopo

Limpopo Academic Hospital

488 Beds

Tender

Polokwane

 

Siloam Hospital

244 Beds

Construction started

Siloam

 

Tshilidzini Hospital

535 Beds

Design

Thohoyandou

 

Elim Hospital

416 Beds

Design

Elim

Mpumalanga

Witbank Tertiary Hospital

400 Beds

Tender

Witbank

 

Witbank Psychiatric Hospital

400 Beds

Design

Witbank

 

Mapulaneng District Hospital

400 Beds

Construction

Bushbuckridge

 

Middelburg District Hospital

200 Beds

Construction

Middelburg

North West

Bophelong General Psychiatric Hospital

244 Beds

Construction started

Mafikeng

Western Cape

Swaartland District Hospital

132 Beds

Design

Swaartland

 

Belhar Regional Hospital

596 Beds

Design

Belhar

 

Klipfontein (GF Jooste) Regional Hospital

To be confirmed

Design

Klipfontein

 

Tygerberg Hospital

800 Beds

Feasibility Study

Cape Town

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3361

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

What (a) are the reasons that he has not responded to grievances and cases reported to him telephonically via SMS, calls and/or whatsapp and (b) steps must be taken to ensure that he is able to respond to cases pertaining to his Ministry and healthcare facilities?

Reply:

The Honourable Member is kindly requested to provide us with specifics of this question. The Honourable Member is also requested to utilize the available processes of Parliament in raising the issues with the department, in order to obtain the information and assistance required.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3233

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

(a) What are the details of the alleged fraud and corruption pertaining to procurement of goods and equipment at the Tembisa Hospital, (b) which offices are implicated in the alleged fraud, (c)(i) who are the persons responsible in the specified offices and/or departments and (ii) whom do they report to, (d) what actions has his department taken with regard to intervention and (e) what has been the consequences to date for persons involved in the specified corruption?

Reply:

The Gauteng Provincial Department of Health is working with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the issues at the Tembisa Hospital. The matter is being dealt with by the Province. The SIU has also made a statement on this already. We therefore await the outcome of this investigation by the SIU.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3360

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

(a) What number of cases pertaining to the adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccines have been reported since the vaccination programme started, (b) to which vaccines do they relate, (c) what number of the specified reports have been investigated, (d) what is the investigation process and (e) at what point does the investigation conclude whether the cause of adverse effects and/or death is related to the vaccine?

Reply:

a) From 17th May 2021 up to the 31th August 2022 a total number of  6731 AEFI (total minor and severe) following the use of either the Comirnaty or COVID-19 vaccine Janssen has been reported to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA)

b) 5241 (total minor and severe) AEFI related to the Comirnaty vaccine (28274053 doses administered) and 1490 (total minor and severe) AEFI related to the Janssen vaccine (8440418 doses administered)

c) Only severe and serious AEFI is investigated, a total number of 2771 investigations are either concluded or under way.

d) A multi-disciplinary team of health professionals in the district investigate all severe and serious AEFI.The purpose of investigating AEFI/AESI cases are as follows: 1. To confirm the reported diagnosis and/or propose other possible diagnoses as well as clarify the outcome of the medical incident comprising the AEFI. 2. To ascertain the particulars, circumstances and procedures around the vaccine used to immunise the affected recipient. Most importantly, identify any potential vaccine-related link to the given AEFI. 3.To review immunisation practices, logistics and other operational aspects of the programme to ensure programme related issues are not contributing to adverse events following immunisation, even if an event seems to be vaccine product-induced or coincidental.4. To determine whether a reported event was a single incident or one of a cluster and if it is a cluster, confirm that the suspected immunisations were indeed given and the individual vaccines that were used. 5. To determine whether unimmunised people are experiencing the same medical incidents. 6. To gather more information pertaining to the case to inform causality assessment. The process of AEFI investigation thus include visits to the vaccination site, interviews with relevant health care workers, interviews with family, care givers or the vaccine injured party if required. Throughout all relevant clinical records, previous medical history, all relevant lab results and diagnostic test outcomes is collected. In a few cases further clinical assessment or medical treatment may be advised.

e) The investigation is concluded when sufficient information has been collected to conduct causality assessment, or when investigation team confirm no further information is available.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3534

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)With reference to the Public Protector’s report on the National Health Laboratory, dated 30 March 2022, what total number of officials have been (a) implicated in allegations of (i) conflicts of interest, (ii) misconduct and (iii) maladministration, (b) charged, (c) taken on review and (d) suspended with pay; (2) (a) on what basis are reviews allowed and (b) what consequence management measures will be put in place to ensure that this does not happen again?

Reply:

1. With reference to the Public Protector’s report on the National health Laboratory, dated 30 March 2022, what total number of officials have been;

Question

NHLS Response

(a)(i) implicated in allegation of conflict of interest

None of the NHLS officials

(a)(ii) implicated in allegations of misconduct

None of the NHLS officials

(a)(iii) implicated in allegations of maladministration

None of the NHLS officials

(b) what total number of officials have been charged

None of the NHLS officials

(c) what number of officials have been taken on review

None of the NHLS officials

(d) what number of officials have been suspended with pay

None of the NHLS officials

2. (a) Not applicable as no NHLS officials launched review proceedings;

(b) The NHLS board will, in exercising its oversight responsibilities over the NHLS’s affairs, effectively and sufficiently observe and apply the principles enunciated in Part 5 of the King IV Code on Corporate Governance. 

The NHLS board is implementing the following corrective measures arising from the Public Protector’s report:

  • Strengthening the NHLS internal controls on the application of the NHLS Supply Chain Management (SCM) Policy and NHLS Remuneration Policy with a view to prevent a recurrence of the improprieties referred to in the Public Protector’s Report. 
  • A training course or workshop in Public Procurement, with particular emphasis on fiduciary duties and general responsibilities of Accounting Authorities outlined in the PFMA, as well as a refresher course or workshop on the NHLS Board’s Terms of Reference and guiding principles in the King IV Code on Corporate Governance. 
  • Strengthening the monitoring system in line with the guiding principles outlined in Part IV of the King IV Code to monitor procurement and HR processes in the appointment of service providers and individuals. 
  • A training course or refresher workshop in public procurement with particular emphasis on sections 57 and 83 of the PFMA as well as section 217 of the Constitution.
  • A course on protected disclosure to ensure the proper identification of the requirements for a protected disclosure case and the proper handling thereof. 
  • A refresher course on labour relations processes relating to, discipline, in particular the code of good practice on suspensions and dismissals.
  • A provision/strategy in the Board’s Terms of Reference to include a prerequisite for compulsory submission of pertinent recommendations for any job grading and/or salary scales. 
  • Training on Treasury Regulations 16A9.1 and sections 50, 51, 54, 63, 83 and 84 of the PFMA to enhance oversight capacity over the NHLS affairs. 
  • Inclusion of a clause in the Code of Conduct, for the Board to promptly inform the Minister of any changes in the position of Board members.
  • Inclusion of a provision in the NHLS Code of Conduct that a member of the Board who discloses to the Board any direct or indirect personal or private business interest which that member may have in any matter before the Board, must withdraw from the proceedings of the Board when that matter is considered. 
  • Review the existing policy or the policy provisions on managing conflict of interest to ensure there is no ambiguity. 
  • Guidelines in line with Rule 11 of Chapter 2 of the NHLSGR, Rule A.2(c) of Part V of the NHLSGR, where appropriate, pertaining to special circumstances for deviation from implementing recommendations for the implementation of the job grading and remuneration. 
  • Guidelines to deal with the ambiguity relating to the proper disposal of NHLS Board documents. 
  • Ground rules and timelines within which allegations of fraud, corruption and recommendations of forensic investigation reports, ARC and Legal Services Unit should be dealt with. 
  • Management team to take cognizance of the findings of maladministration and improper conduct and to take corrective action to prevent a recurrence of the improprieties referred to in this Report. 
  • Formal contract or service level agreement with a contractor, legally sound to avoid potential litigation and to minimise possible fraud and corruption. Such contracts must include legal vetting and must be constantly managed to ensure that both the NHLS and the contractors meet their respective obligations. 
  • A monitoring system that ensures that proper procurement in appointing service providers by the SCM and recruitment processes in appointing individuals by the Human Resources Department.
  • Review the existing policy or the policy provisions on managing conflict of interest. 
  • Evaluation the effectiveness of the NHLS’s internal controls and monitoring system and introduction of strict measures for compliance with lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair labour practices.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3268

Profile picture: Clarke, Ms M

Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

What (a)(i) total number of additional (aa) ventilators, (bb) beds and (cc) medical equipment was purchased by his department during the peak of COVID-19 and (ii) was the total cost in each specified case and (b) has happened to all the additional equipment?

Reply:

The National Department of Health is still working with the Provincial Departments of Health to source the full details required by this Question. A full report and response will be furnished to the Honourable Member and Parliament as soon as the information has been collated from all the Provinces.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3288

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

Considering that foreign-qualified doctors who have applied and paid for a remark of their examination results have not been attended to, forcing such candidates to retake costly examinations due to a lack of response from the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), what monitoring and/or evaluation programmes are in place to provide oversight and assure accountability in the HPCSA in accordance with the Gauteng High Court Order on foreign-qualified doctors?

Reply:

Governance oversight over statutory health professional councils is conducted through monitoring compliance with legislative requirements based on council’s enabling legislation and other applicable legislative prescripts and/or policies.

However, on further inquiry regarding the matter raised, the Department was informed that foreign qualified doctors who require a remark on their examination results engage the institution (currently, Sefako Makgatho University - SMU) that handles board examinations on behalf of the HPCSA directly. The HPCSA is not aware of candidates who may have paid for a remark, but subsequently denied same. Specific details can be provided if there have been such occurrences so that the HPCSA may take the matter up with SMU.

Further to the above, the HPCSA has advised that all court orders relating to foreign qualified applicants have been adhered to, in particular, the discontinuation of the “Pathway” that required foreign qualified applicants to go through an additional 12-month period for clinical exposure before they could be registered as interns.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3289

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether his department has been informed of the situation that, despite the landmark victory and the Gauteng High Court Order with regard to foreign-qualified doctors, such interns remain unplaced and the Health Professions Council of South Africa refuses to register the foreign-qualified doctors without an offer of employment; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether his department has taken any measures to support the registration of foreign-qualified doctors in accordance with the Gauteng High Court Order; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

(1)-(2) According to the information received from the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the HPCSA has adhered to all court orders relating to foreign qualified applicants including the discontinuation of the “Pathway” that required foreign qualified applicants to go through an additional 12-month period for clinical exposure before they could be registered as interns.

Sub-regulation 3(2)(c) of the Regulations relating to the registration and training of interns in medicine published under Government Notice R.57 in Government Gazette 25938 of 23 January 2004 states that: “A person referred to in sub regulation (1) [intern] shall submit his or her application to the board in terms of section 17 of the Act for registration as an intern in medicine on an application form supplied by the board and duly completed”, prior to being registered.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3250

Profile picture: Mathulelwa, Ms B

Mathulelwa, Ms B to ask the Minister of Health

On what date is it envisaged the Taylor Bequest Hospital in Matatiele, which is without basic tools, will be equipped?

Reply:

The National Department of Health is in consultation with the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health to establish the issues that the Honourable Member is raising in this Question. The full report and response will be furnished to the Honourable Member as soon as the full details are received from the Province.

END.

14 October 2022 - NW3271

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What (a) percentage and (b) number of public hospitals have (i) a psychiatrist, (ii) clinical psychologists, (iii) occupational therapists and (iv) child psychologists; (2) what is the (a) current vacancy rate at all public hospitals for the specified healthcare specialists and (b) total cost per annum to fill the specified vacancies; (3) what (a) number and (b) percentage of public health facilities offer mental health services?

Reply:

The National Department of Health is still working with the Provincial Departments of Health to source the full details required by this Question. A full report and response will be furnished to the Honourable Member and Parliament as soon as the information has been collated from all the Provinces.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3205

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

(1)How does his department intend to bridge the knowledge skills gap that is due to the fact that some of the drugs that are used in government hospitals for the management of haematology and oncology are between 20 and 30 years old and that, due to the use of the outdated drugs, specialist doctors who are training in government hospitals are not exposed to modern medicine practices, resulting in the doctors turning to the private sector in order to be exposed to training with access to adequate therapeutic options; (2) with approximately 70% of the Republic using the public health care system, what budget is available to ensure that modern treatment options are updated to the benefit of the people of the Republic?

Reply:

1. The National Department of Health (NDoH) is committed to improving the health status of all South Africans. The ministerially appointed National Essential Medicines List Committee (NEMLC) consider medications for inclusion on the Essential Medicine List (EML) based on priority conditions within the country, taking into consideration the clinical need, evidence of efficacy, quality, safety, affordability and implications for practice.

The review of medicines for inclusion on the EML and use in the public sector is a dynamic process, with disorders/medicines being reviewed continuously based on factors including the changing clinical need, emerging clinical evidence, availability of new medicines, price of medicines. This has been demonstrated with the approval of newer agents on the EML such trastrastuzumab and bortezomib in the management of breast cancer and are both available in the public sector.

Although a number of the agents used in the field of haematology and oncology are 20 to 30 years old, these agents are established effective therapies considered standard of care for particular indications in these fields.

Cost-effectiveness, affordability and security of supply of these newer agents is often the reason why they are not considered for use in both the private and public sectors.

The private sector is also often limited by the price of these newer agents, and may only be able to use them in situations where medical schemes cover portions of the costs, with large co-payments are made by individuals out of pocket. The availability of generic and biosimilar agents will promote competition driving down the prices of these newer agents for consideration for widespread public health use.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate trained clinicians in the fields of medical oncology and clinical haematology are exposed to modern therapeutic options. Additionally, exposure to use of these agents is often gained through work in clinical trials and access programmes.

2. Treatment options that are currently provided in the South African public sector are based on available evidence as described above.

The current budget for medicines is approximately R 20 billion, with an additional budget allocation per province for more modern therapeutic options in the National Tertiary Services Grant.

MEDICINE BUDGET

R Thousands

Main Budget 2022/23

Provinces

 

Eastern Cape

2,067,531

Free State

1,020,160

Gauteng

5,117,929

Kwazulu-Natal

4,535,574

Limpopo

1,499,518

Mpumalanga

1,793,290

Northern Cape

415,010

North West

1,215,842

Western Cape

1,876,983

Total

19,541,837

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3154

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What number of (a) bursaries and (b) scholarships have been awarded for the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Medical Collaboration Programme in each of the past five financial years; (2) what is the (a) total number of students in the specified programme for 2022 and (b) breakdown of the specified members in each province; (3) what is the (a) total cost of the programme, (b) breakdown of the cost in each province, (c) total amount to be transferred and (d) breakdown of the amount in each province?

Reply:

1. The following is the status of awarding of bursaries and scholarships for the (8) Provincial Departments of Health participating in the Nelson Mandela Fidela Castro Medical Collaboration Programme.

  • 2017/2018 no bursaries and scholarships were awarded
  • 2018/2019 no bursaries and scholarships were awarded
  • 2019/2020 only Northwest awarded four (4) bursaries
  • 2020/2021 no bursaries and scholarships were awarded
  • 2021/2022 no bursaries and scholarships were awarded

2. (a)-(b) There is a total number of 702 students in the specified programme for 2022 also broken down in tables below:

Table 1 below indicates that a total of 103 students were integrated into the Universities in South Africa in July 2022.

Table1: Students integrated in 2022 into South African Universities

Province

UCT

UL

UP

SMU

WITS

WSU

Total

EC

1

0

0

0

2

5

8

FS

0

1

1

0

0

0

2

GP

5

0

4

1

6

1

17

KZN

3

3

1

2

1

3

13

LP

3

14

2

1

2

2

24

MP

4

2

6

2

5

5

24

NC

1

0

1

0

0

0

3

NW

3

3

1

2

1

3

13

SA

8

20

23

16

17

19

103

Table 2 below indicates that a total of 466 students were integrated into the Universities in South Africa in July 2021 and are currently completing their programme.

Table 2: Students integrated in 2021 and in Universities 2022

Province

SMU

SU

UCT

UFS

UKZN

UL

UP

Wits

WSU

Total

EC

2

 

1

3

3

1

2

8

5

25

FS

1

 

 0

 0

1

2

GP

12

5

5

12

20

1

10

52

6

123

KZN

3

3

2

2

7

3

4

13

7

44

LP

12

5

4

4

17

11

9

37

15

114

MP

7

4

3

11

6

3

10

22

6

72

NW

8

1

4

3

6

3

8

14

10

57

NC

5

2

2

7

1

3

5

4

 

29

SA

50

20

21

42

60

25

48

151

49

466

Table 3 below indicates that 94 students are repeating some modules in 2022 in South African Universities.

Table 3: Students repeating in 2022

Province

UCT

UL

UP

SMU

WITS

WSU

SU

UFS

UKZN

Total

EC

0

1

0

0

5

4

0

2

1

13

FS

0

0

1

2

1

1

1

3

0

9

GP

0

0

0

2

8

2

0

0

0

12

KZN

1

1

3

2

2

3

2

1

5

20

LP

0

1

2

2

6

0

0

2

0

13

MP

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

NC

1

0

3

0

0

0

1

1

0

6

NW

1

3

1

5

3

0

2

3

1

19

SA

3

6

12

13

25

10

6

12

7

94

Table 4 below indicates that 37 students are currently in Universities in Cuba Universities.

Number of students in Cuba in 2022

Province

Number

Eastern Cape

0

Free State

0

Gauteng

8

KwaZulu-Natal

8

Limpopo

5

Mpumalanga

5

Northern Cape

2

North West

9

Total

37

3. (a) Total cost of the Programme

Costs for Cuba

This is a Scholarship Programme which is jointly funded by both Governments. The fixed cost per student per year, depending on the Rand/Dollar Exchange Rate at the time of transfer, is reflected below:

  • Preparatory (one year) : $2000.00 per students
  • 1st – 5th Year (per student) : $5000.00
  • Stipend (per student per year) : $2400.00
  • Additional costs include two return flight tickets during six years and additional flight ticket in case of death of immediate family member. The tickets cannot be costed as it also depends on the Rand/Dollar Exchange at the time.

The Expanded Training Programme (ETP) which is wholly funded by the South African Government is reflected in the table below:

Table: 5

Level

Tuition Fees

Meals and Accommodation

Ave. cost Med. Ins.

Stipend

TOTAL

Preparatory

$6000.00

$6022

$450

$2400.00

$14, 872.00

1st – 2nd Year

$12, 500

$6022

$500

$2400.00

$21, 422.00

3rd – 4th Year

$11, 500

$6022

$500

$2400.00

$20, 422.00

5th Year

$13, 500

$6022

$600

$2400.00

$22, 522.00

Costs for integration in the local Universities

Tuition fees charged by South African universities during the integration since inception until 2018 varied from one university to another. After the agreement was signed with local universities, the cost of integration per student has been standardised since July 2018 and adjusted according to annual Consumer Price Index. Students have to be in the clinical training platform for 18 months. This translates to three (3) semesters. Additional costs include 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).
  • July 2022 – June 2023 : R277 641.54 (R138 820.77 per semester).

(b)(c)(d) The information below indicates total cost by provincial breakdown, by number of students and amount to be transferred by each province to South African University for the specified period.

Eastern Cape Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

25

R3 450 967.01

 

8

R 2 208 618.88

R 5 659 585.89

Free State Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

1

R138 038,68

 

2

R552 154,72

R690 193,40

Gauteng Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

120

R 16 564 641,60

 

17

R 4 693 315,12

R 21 257 956,72

KwaZulu Natal Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

43

R5 935 663,24

 

13

R3 589 005,68

R9 524 668,92

Limpopo Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

112

R 15 460 332,16

 

24

R 6 625 856,64

R 22 086 188,80

Mpumalanga Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

68

R 9 386 630,24

 

24

R 6 625 856,64

R 16 012 486,88

Northern Cape Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

30

R4 141 160,40

 

3

828 232,08

R4 969 392,48

Northwest Department of Health

FOURTH COHORT - Third Semester- July to December 2022

 

FIFTH COHORT - First & Second Semester - July 2022 to Jun 2023

Total No of Students

Total Cost

 

Total No of Students

Total Cost

Grand Total to be transferred

57

R7 868 204,76

 

13

R3 589 005,68

R11 457 210,44

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3234

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

Following his visit to Kalafong Hospital after the reported xenophobic attacks against patients assumed to be foreign nationals and patients who did not carry identification documents, (a) what is the outcome of his visit to the specified hospital and (b) how did hospital management take accountability for the flouting of security requirements and expectations?

Reply:

1. The Minister of Health conducted site visit to the hospital on Thursday, 01 September 2022, and interacted with facility management to assess the impact of protests on health service deliver, local SAPS authorities to understand their role in enforcing the court interdict and leaders of the Operation Dudula to understand their concerns.

a) During this meeting an agreement was reached that the protests should end with immediate effect, and all concerns should be raised through proper channels, instead of protests action that will affect service delivery. The protest was called-off.

b) After Kalafong hospital management was alerted of the disruption of free access to the hospital, hospital security and SAPS members were deployed to ensure free access to the hospital.

2. Secondly, the hospital management applied for an urgent court interdict against the protesting organization. A Court interdict preventing disruption to free access to the hospital was subsequently granted.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3090

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)With regard to shooting incidents taking place within public health care facilities, (a) what is the procedure of taking a prisoner to a hospital for health care, (b) what are the responsibilities of the health care facilities assigned to the SA Police Service members while at the facility, (c) to whom do they report if they have to suddenly leave and (d) what are the strategic guidelines of the whole process from the prisoner leaving prison to the time he/she is returned after receiving health care; (2) what (a) total number of violent incidents have been recorded at each public health care facility in the past five years and (b) are the relevant details of each violent incident; (3) whether he will furnish Ms H Ismail with a list of facilities where the violent incidents have occurred; if not, why not; if so, on what date?

Reply:

(1)        The following table reflects the details in this regard.

North West

(1)

(a) what is the procedure of taking a prisoner to a hospital for health care,

(b) what are the responsibilities of the health care facilities assigned to the SA Police Service members while at the facility

(c) to whom do they report if they have to suddenly leave

(d) what are the strategic guidelines of the whole process from the prisoner leaving prison to the time he/she is returned after receiving health care;

The prisoner warden / guard accompanies the patients in health facilities and stay with them through out until they leave the health facility.

  • SAPS / Correctional Services takes care of prisoners as outpatients and inpatients.
  • During consultation, they are being prioritized, as they do not follow the queue. When admitted they are under-guard by SAPS/Correctional Services
  • The Correctional Service department make prior arrangements with the hospital for the retrieval of files and immediate medical treatment at Casualty and out patients departments.

 

Operational Manager, doctor, nurses and security

Procedure lies with the department of Correctional Services. However, the responsible nurse from Correctional Services Facility will arrange a booking at the hospital in advance. The hospital will retrieve the prisoner’s file 2 days before the actual date of appointment.

 

Once in the facility, the prisoner will be processed while balancing the rights of the other patients and that of the prisoner. The prisoner remains under guard right through every step of care until the last working station which is pharmacy and exit the facility.

 

(2)        The response is as follows:

 

(2)

Facility

what (a) total number of violent incidents have been recorded at each public health care facility in the past five years

and (b) are the relevant details of each violent incident;

Klerksdorp / Tshepong Hospital

6

  • 03/02/2022 at 02:45, a mentally disturbed patient fought with the nurse and security officer at Casualty.
  • 06/03/2022 at 02:20, a patient fought with the security at casualty and broke the window.
  • 22/03/2022 at 11:40, a gang brought their friend with a gunshot wound, when the Doctors referred their friend to Tshepong they threw tantrums.
  • 19/06/2022 at 01:00, two armed men gained access to the doctor’s quarters and robbed doctors.
  • 15/08/2022 at 20:00, a gangster was shot and brought to Tshepong Hospital, other gang members followed him to the hospital to try and finish what they started. SAP had to be called for assistance.

13/08/2022, there was an attempt to abduct a female Doctor at the doctor’s quarters, guards fired four shots and the intruders ran away.

 

Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital

None

 

Mafikeng Provincial Hospital

5

House breaking with force entry

Robbery at gun point

Employees fight using a child

Theft using force

Gang fights

 

Potchefstroom Hospital

4

A psychiatric patient stabbed a nurse

One patient was followed by others to finish him

Another psychiatric patient attacked the security guard and a nurse

A family who wanted to enter the hospital by force and slapped the security guard.

Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital

2022 – Two (02)

2021-2018 - None

2022 (01) – Intoxicated patient physically assaulted nursing staff in Casualty.

2022(02) – Staff member physically assaulted in Radiology Department due to person grievances not pertaining to work. 

Witrand Hospital

0

None

Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital

0

None

Klerksdorp / Tshepong Hospital

Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital

Mafikeng Provincial Hospital

Potchefstroom Hospital

Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital

Witrand Hospital

Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital

The hospitals have electricity backup (Generator) which only covers clinical/patient areas, Load shedding affects areas that are not on backup as follows:

  • Safety issues (break-ins, opportunistic theft, attacks, etc.)
  • Communication breakdowns (non-availability of systems such PERSAL, BAS, Walker, emails, internet, etc), delay in capturing of invoices.
  • Damage to equipment’s
  • High costs incurred on fuel
  • Water interruption due to the water pumps filling water slowly in the reservoirs 

 

 

         

 

 

Northern Cape:

(1)

(a) what is the procedure of taking a prisoner to a hospital for health care,

(b) what are the responsibilities of the health care facilities assigned to the SA Police Service members while at the facility

(c) to whom do they report if they have to suddenly leave

(d) what are the strategic guidelines of the whole process from the prisoner leaving prison to the time he/she is returned after receiving health care;

The prisoner warden / guard accompanies the patients in health facilities and stay with them through out until they leave the health facility.

  • SAPS / Correctional Services takes care of prisoners as outpatients and inpatients.
  • During consultation, they are being prioritized, as they do not follow the queue. When admitted they are under-guard by SAPS/Correctional Services
  • The Correctional Service department make prior arrangements with the hospital for the retrieval of files and immediate medical treatment at Casualty and out patients departments.

 

Operational Manager, doctor, nurses and security

Procedure lies with the department of Correctional Services. However, the responsible nurse from Correctional Services Facility will arrange a booking at the hospital in advance. The hospital will retrieve the prisoner’s file 2 days before the actual date of appointment.

 

Once in the facility, the prisoner will be processed while balancing the rights of the other patients and that of the prisoner. The prisoner remains under guard right through every step of care until the last working station which is pharmacy and exit the facility.

 

(2)       

 

(2)

Facility

what (a) total number of violent incidents have been recorded at each public health care facility in the past five years

and (b) are the relevant details of each violent incident;

Windsorton Clinic

1 – 2018

  • Nurse assaulted by psychiatric patient (outpatient) – waiting too long to receive medication.

RMSH A&E

5 – 2018

6 – 2019

5 – 2020

3 - 2021

 

  • Patient assaulted nurse (shocked death of family member and way nurse relayed message)
  • Drunk patient
  • Psychiatric patient attack security trying to steal food.
  • Triage waiting period (violence patient)
  • Mental patient damaged drs vehicle (stone thrown windscreen).
  • Patient threatened guards with knife.
  • Dr threatened by family (child died) to shoot him.
  • Aggressive patients A&E (swearing staff)
  • Patient arrested for rape treated at hospital threatened staff verbally.
  • 72-hour observation attacked guard (clothes ripped).
  • Two Fleet employees assaulted one another.
  • Patient threatened staff (gun in car not confirmed) – casualty.
  • Professional Hitmen shot patient recovering in ward (gang related).
  • Gun threat, Mental patient (arrested with unlicensed firearm).
  • Buck horn taken off patient entering casualty to receive treatment.
  • 4 x gun-shot wound victims treated (gang-related). Staff threatened not to work unless security increased.
  • 72-hour ward – one patient attacked another using food-tray.
  • Khoocs – foreigner verbal threat to shoot.  Racial tension patients waiting.
  • Knife found in sleeve of patient being treated (who came in unconscious in ambulance).

Springbok (Dr Van Niekerk) Hospital

1 – 2018

1 - 2021

  • Psychiatric patient attacked guard who caught him stealing food out of kitchen.
  • Patient under alcohol influence assaulted staff.

Prof ZK Matthews Hospital, Barkly

1 – 2018

1 – 2019

  • Mental patient broke doors.
  • Staff striking at facility – burn tyres and blocked entrance.

Hopetown Clinic

1 – 2018

  • Nurse assaulted patient coming for treatment (long waiting time for assistance)

Kuruman Hospital

1 – 2018

3 - 2020

  • Union disruptions
  • Kidnapping patient – saps caught (CAS215/09/2020)
  • Guard stabbed with knife by patient trying to enter.
  • Guard assaulted and attacked with knife stopping gangs entering.

MaDoyl Clinic

1- 2018

 

 

 

1 – 2020

  • NGOs contracting Health Care Workers (HCW) – threaten to close clinics (absorption into Health)
  • Alleged knife threat by staff (to close clinic) – victimization concerns COVID.

EMS Control Room, Kimberley

1 – 2018

  • Assault (domestic dispute at work)

Colesburg Nursing home

1 – 20108

1 – 2019

  • Attach nurse in flat (domestic).
  • Drunk visitors refused entry – vulgar language security.

Bill Pichard Hospital, Prieska

2 – 2019

  • Rape victim threatened rapist family at hospital.
  • Gang violence following victim to hospital.

Harmony Home

2 – 2019

  • Assault patient by guard (patient stole guard’s money – mental patient).
  • Mental patient attacked guard and ripped uniform.

Ritchie Clinic

1 – 2019

  • Social worker / nutritionist threatened after removal malnutrition children from mother

De Aar Hospital

1 – 2019

 

 

 

 

1 – 2020

  • Foreign nationals entered with knives – threat to nurses (x-ray equipment not working). Gang-related violence.
  • Assault by mental patient.

Ipeleng Clinic

1 – 2019

  • EPWP workers strike – burn tyres and blocked entrance to facility.

Hopetown Clinic

1 – 2019

  • Mental patient fight with staff (waiting for medication issue).

Pampierstad Nursing home

1 – 2019

  • 3 males jumped fence and attacked staff residing to steal.

City Clinic

1 – 2019

  • Municipal strike action – threats.

Loeriesfontein Clinic

1 – 2019

  • Nurse assaulted by boyfriend at clinic.

WESH (Mental B3)

2 -2019

  • Mental patient alleged assaulted security guard (stole money).
  • Patient attacked guard with hair clipper.

Victoria West Hospital

1 – 2020

1 – 2021

  • Gang violence hospital (threat at hospital when gang arrived whilst person was receiving treatment).
  • Malicious damage of front door – psychiatric patient.

Oliphantshoek CHC

1 – 2020

  • Assault and public violence (drunk visitors)

New Mental Health Hospital

3 – 2020

1 - 2021

  • Patient assaulted guard with metal coffee mug.
  • Patient assaulted guard (needed medical attention and clothes ripped).
  • Attempted escape of mental patient who tried to flee whilst being transported in ambulance to RMSH (overpowering staff).
  • Guard assaulted by 4 unknown suspects fled theft power-station copper.

Connie Vorster Hospital, Hartswater

1 – 2020

  • Mental patient (broke window)
  • COVID protest

LAdams Clinic

1 – 2020

  • Patients threaten staff.

Beaconsfield Clinic

1 – 2021

  • OPD Patient threaten staff.

EMS Kuruman

1 – 2021

  • Guard overpowered by 5 unknown suspects (hostage situation) theft.  CAS 799/03/2021

Galeshewe Day Hospital

1 – 2021

1 - 2022

  • Guard attacked with sharp object (eye injury).
  • Assault – maternity patient slapped nurse.

Dr Winston Torres Clinic

1 – 2021

  • Patient slapped guard refusing entry (skipped queue).

Jan Kempdorp Hospital

1 – 2021

  • Emotional trauma patient damaged property – broke door after death of family.

Carnarvon CHC

1 – 2022

  • Assault – 4 drunk people tried to enter facility and assaulted security.

Pampierstad CHC

1 – 2022

  • Mental patient threaten staff (OPD).

Dr Harry Surtie Hospital, Upington

1 – 2022

  • Aggressive visitor with patient under influence of alcohol removed by SAPS.

Valspan Clinic

1 – 2022

  • OPD mental patient threaten staff.

 

Free State

(1)

(a) what is the procedure of taking a prisoner to a hospital for health care,

(b) what are the responsibilities of the health care facilities assigned to the SA Police Service members while at the facility

(c) to whom do they report if they have to suddenly leave

(d) what are the strategic guidelines of the whole process from the prisoner leaving prison to the time he/she is returned after receiving health care;

The prisoner warden / guard accompanies the patients in health facilities and stay with them through out until they leave the health facility.

  • SAPS or Correctional Services takes full responsibility for the prisoners admitted and for outpatients at health facilities.
  • Prisoners are prioritized at health facilities and don’t follow the queue. Prisoners when they

 are admitted are under SAPS and   Correctional Services watch.

  • The Correctional Service department make arrangements with the facilities and responsible for opening for files and collection of medical treatment.

Doctor, Operational Manager, nurses and Security Officers on duty.

Procedure lies with the department of Correctional Services. However, the responsible nurse from Correctional Services Facility will arrange a booking at the hospital in advance. The hospital will retrieve the prisoner’s file 2 days before the actual date of appointment.

 

Once in the facility, the prisoner will be processed while balancing the rights of the other patients and that of the prisoner. The prisoner remains under guard right through every step of care until the last working station which is pharmacy and exit the facility.

 

(2)       

(2)

Facility

what (a) total number of violent incidents have been recorded at each public health care facility in the past five years

and (b) are the relevant details of each violent incident;

Universitas Academic Hospital

4

Porter fought with the messenger.

The cleaner fought with the messenger.

ATM bombed and Security Officers were pointed with firearms.

Break in and 31 computers stolen

Pelonomi Tertiary Hospital

3

Security Supervisor assaulted by community member.

Female Security Officer assaulted by psychiatric patient 

Male Security Officer assaulted by psychiatric patient.

National District Hospital

2

Psychiatric patients fought with Security Officers and nurses in two different incidences.

Bongani District Hospital

0

 None

Boitumelo District Hospital

1

Security Officer fought with the patient where Security Officer broke his leg.

Botshabelo District Hospital

0

None

Dr JS Moroka Hospital

0

None

Fezi Ngubentombi District Hospital

1

Intoxicated patient assaulted Security Officer and the nurse.

Sinorita Nhlabathi District Hospital

0

None

Free State Psychiatric Complex

Several

Patients fighting each other

Parys District Hospital

0

None

Tokollo District Hospital

0

None

Mafube District Hospital

0

None

Winburg District Hospital

1

Two nurses fought each other

Katleho District Hospital

0

Messenger fought with cleaner

Thusanong District Hospital

0

None

Mohua District Hospital

0

None

Nala District Hospital

0

None

Elizabeth Ross District Hospital

1

Patient fought with nurses and Security Officers

Phekolong Nketoane District Hospital

1

Gangsters fought with Security Officers at the gate because they wanted to force to see the patient.

Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Regional Hospital

1

Visitors fought with nurses and Security Officers claiming they are from far and wanted to see their patient.

Diamant District Hospital

0

None

Stoffel Coetzee District Hospital

0

None

Embekweni District Hospital

0

None

Dihlabeng District Hospital

0

None

Thebe Phumelela District Hospital

0

None

Winburg District Hospital

0

None

       

 

Eastern Cape  

 

(1)

(a) The inmate is accompanied and guarded by the warden/ guard team into the health facility, through the entire visit to the facility.

 The hospital have a fast line leeway for inmates visiting the hospital, especially when hospital booking system have been followed to the various clinics of the hospital

(b) The inmates consult on a booked appointment schedule; they receive priority consultation to avoid subjecting them in long queue in health facilities. This is in line with hospital standard operating procedures.

(c) If there is any unexpected eventuality in a form of   incident, it is reported, firstly to the hospital CEO, Head of clinical Governance to the doctors, nursing service manager staff and the security officers.

(d) The Correctional Services officials bear responsible for safeguarding procedure of the inmates upon egress point of the health facility up until the exit point and safe return to the correctional facility. In accordance to the Correctional Services Act.

(2)       

(2)

Facility

what (a) total number of violent incidents have been recorded at each public health care facility in the past five years

and (b) are the relevant details of each violent incident;

Fort England Psychiatric Hospital

(Sarah Baartman District)

 

 

1

10/06/2019 - One in-Patient stabbed another in-patient with a sharpened thick piece of wood on the forehead and left eye

Bisho Hospital

(Buffalo City Metro)

 

1

19/01/2019- Assault of a security officer by a patient

Nomangesi Jayiya Clinic (Nelson Mandela Bay Health District)

 

1

13/01/2022- Security guards were attacked/ assaulted by 4 thugs.

Nelson Mandela Metro Health District

 

 

38

EMS personnel have been victims of crime in the Gqeberha Northern areas. there has been no fatalities;

  • 2019- 26 attacks
  • 2020- 6 attacks     
  • 2021- 5 attacks
  • 2022- 1 attack

Information from other remaining provinces is still being collated and will be furnished as soon as it is received.

 

 

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3101

Profile picture: Clarke, Ms M

Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What is the status quo of the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal currently; (2) (a) what was the cost of the specified project and (b) in what time frame was the project to be finalised; (3) (a) what total number of months has the contract gone over its time frame and (b) were any penalties imposed; (4) what is the reason that the hospital has not opened at this stage; (5) does the hospital have the (a) budget and staff structure and (b)(i) operational needs and (ii) budget to open its doors?

Reply:

1. The hospital was completed on 9 March 2022 and is currently operational.

2. (a) The table below reflects the details in this regard:

Contract Name

Cost

Contract 1 : Earthworks

1 244 730,50

Contract 2 Pilling

24 451 211,82

Contract 3 Superstructure

3 172 362 000,79

Contract 3 VAT

475 854 300,12

Total

3 673 912 243,23

(b) The original completion date was the 05 October 2018.

(3) (a) 41 Months

(b) Yes there were penalties imposed.

(4) The hospital is operational since August 2021. The practical completion has been following a phased approach until the overall practical completion was reached on 9 March 2022.

(5) (a) Yes

(b) Yes, Operational needs and budget have been catered for

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3502

Profile picture: Van Zyl, Ms A M

Van Zyl, Ms A M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What (a) total amount does his department owe to the (i) Walter Sisulu Local Municipality and (ii) Senqu Local Municipality and (b) is the age analysis of the monies owed in each case; (2) what (a) are the specific details of the buildings in respect of which his department owes the specified municipalities and (b) is the use of each specified building; (3) whether his department has any plans to address the debts; if not, why not; if so, what (a) are the details of his department’s plan and (b) is the time frame in which the debts will be settled?

Reply:

The response is as follows, according to the Eastern Cape Province Provincial Department of Health

QUESTIONS

RESPONSES

1. What (a) total amount does his department owe to the (i) Walter Sisulu Local Municipality and (ii) Senqu Local Municipality and (b) is the age analysis of the monies owed in each case;

a) (i) Walter Sisulu Municipality - R6 147 567

(b) Age analysis:-

Current R 205 831

30 Days R 1 739 086

60 Days R 168 002

90 Days R 533 722

120 + Days R 3 500 926 Amount under dispute R2 200 400 (not included above)

a) (ii) Senqu Municipality - R3 956 314

b) Age analysis:- Current R 695 501 30 Days R 589 036 60 Days R 560 980 90 Days R 483 178 120 + Days R1 627 619

2. What (a) are the specific details of the buildings in respect of which his department owes the specified municipalities and (b) is the use of each specified building;

2. (a and b) Walter Sisulu Municipality Hospitals

Aliwal North Hospital - Aliwal North Burgersdorp Hospital - Burgersdorp Jamestown Hospital - Jamestown Steynsburg Hospital - Steynsburg St Francis Hospital - Aliwal North

Clinics

Khayamandi Clinic - Steynsburg Venterstad Clinic - Venterstad Maletswai Clinic - Aliwal North Poly Clinic - Aliwal North

Nurses Home Venterstad Clinic Nurses Home - Venterstad

Under dispute Eureka Clinic - Burgersdorp Oviston Satellite Clinic - Oviston Acc 10 - Dept. of Health Hilton Clinic - Aliwal North Old Prison - Burgersdorp Town Clinic

2. (a and b) Senqu Municipality Hospitals Cloete Joubert Hospital Empilisweni Hospital Lady Grey Hospital

3. Whether his department has any plans to address the debts; if not, why not; if so, what (a) are the details of his department’s plan and (b) is the time frame in which the debts will be settled?

3. (a) Funding recently received – mid-September 2022. Amount authorised 05/10/2022 and awaiting disbursement as indicated below: -

Walter Sisulu Municipality - R6 142 115

Senqu Municipality - R2 666 843

3.(b) Remaining amounts as follows are in the process of being paid:

Walter Sisulu Municipality- R5 542

Senqu Municipality – R1 289 47

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3290

Profile picture: Hlengwa, Ms MD

Hlengwa, Ms MD to ask the Minister of Health

Whether his department has been informed that the Health Professions Council of South Africa has refused to refund examination fees that it has charged repeat candidates (details furnished); if not, why not; if so, what measures have been taken to rectify the issue?

Reply:

The Department has been informed that the Health Professions Council of South Africa is currently processing refunds for candidates that paid and were scheduled to take both components of the medical professions board examination (Theory and OSCE) but ended up taking only OSCE component.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3089

Profile picture: Clarke, Ms M

Clarke, Ms M to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal has taken up the offer made by the private health care groups to train more than 200 nurses to counter a threatening shortage of skills; if not, why not; if so, who are the private health care groups that have offered to train nurses in the specified province; (2) whether any of the other provincial health departments have collaborated with private health care groups in order to assist with the training of nurses; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) in which provinces has the partnership transpired and (b) what total number of nurses have been taken through the training courses?

Reply:

  1. The KZN Department of Health is not aware of any offer made to the Province by the Private Health Care Groups to train more than 200 nurses to counter a threatening shortage of skills. Instead the Province have granted permission and support letters to Private colleges to place their students in public health establishment for them to achieve the clinical training component which cannot be provided by the private nursing schools.
  2. None of the other provincial departments of health offer nurse training in collaboration with the private health care groups.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3408

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What total number of vaccines have (a) expired and (b) been destroyed as a result of expiry, since the initial purchase of the vaccines; (2) what is the breakdown of the total amount, including transport and storage fees, that it actually costs when a vaccine has expired and must be destroyed; (3) what total amount has it cost the Government to date to destroy (a) Johnson & Johnson and (b) Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines due to the (i) specified vaccines reaching expiration dates and (ii) vials being unsealed?

Reply:

1. No vaccines have been destroyed as a result of expiry from the central storage managed by the National Department of Health.

2. When it becomes necessary to destroy vaccines due to expiry at the central storage level, there will be two cost elements resulting in a total cost per vial:

(i) Distribution from the central warehouse to the waste management sites: 

Pfizer: R16.24 to R20.49 per vial of 6 doses - depending on the vaccine distributor.

J&J: R14.90 to R14.94 per vial of 5 doses - depending on the vaccine distributor.

(ii) Cost of destruction, which is estimated to be between R18 and R25 per kilogram.

Pfizer: A tray of 195 vials weighs approximately 1.2kg - therefore, R0.11 to R0.15 per vial
J&J: A shipper of 480 vials weighs approximately 3kg - therefore, R0.11 to R0.16 per vial

(iii) Estimated total cost of destruction per vial:

Pfizer: R16.35 to R20.64 per vial of 6 doses
J&J: R15.01 to R15.10 per vial of 5 doses.

3. (a)-(b) (i) Zero Rands in central storage. The province bears the cost of destroying expired vaccine doses at a facility level. The waste disposal is integrated into the normal waste disposal contracts and is generally costed by weight. It will be difficult to calculate the cost for vaccines only as the waste would include other medicines.

(ii) The province bears the cost of destroying opened vials. As these doses are disposed of together with the needle and syringes in yellow sharps containers (i.e. normal waste for any immunization programme) it is once again difficult to determine the cost for the vaccines alone as these vials, syringes, and needles will generally be mixed with other sharps disposed of at a facility level.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3357

Profile picture: Arries, Ms LH

Arries, Ms LH to ask the Minister of Health

What (a) is the ambulance-to-population ratio in George in the Western Cape and (b) plans have been put in place to provide more ambulances to George and other areas in the Southern Cape area?

Reply:

a) In the Western Cape resources are deployed based on District and Sub-District level rather than Local Municipalities. In this case they deploy resources to the Garden Route District. The population for the Garden Route District is 622 000. This equates to 0.3 ambulances per 10 000 population. The ambulance allocation per sub-district is as follows:

George 3

Knysna 2

Plettenberg Bay 2

Uniondale 1

Dysselsdorp 2

Oudtshoorn 2

Calitzdorp 1

Ladismith 1

Heidelberg 1

Riversdale 2

Mosselbay 2

b) The reality is that without a significant increase in the budget for compensation of employees the Western Cape province is unable to increase the number of ambulances. The Province is however, deploying several other initiatives to augment service delivery. These include:

  • Community-orientated Emergency Care underpinned by the Emergency First Aid Programme
  • Augmentation of provincial services with contracted private ambulance service

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3210

Profile picture: Luthuli, Mr BN

Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Health

Whether, in view of the important role that advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs) play in national and international health care (details furnished), what are the reasons that (a) the Government is not making more of a concerted effort to train more ANPs in an attempt to address the Republic’s health care system which continues to struggle with a shortage of doctors and (b) more posts that fully utilise the capacity of qualified APNs in the Republic are not prioritised in the Republic’s healthcare system?

Reply:

a) Training of specialist nurses, as referred to as ANPs in the question here above, has always been a priority for the national and provincial departments of health.  Accordingly 11 118 Clinical ANPs have been trained between 2017 and 2021. In addition all public colleges have prioritised ANP as part of new programmes which commenced in January 2020. Accordingly with finalisation of accreditation processes  by the Council of Higher Education ( CHE) it is anticipated that public nursing colleges will continue to produce ANPs.

In terms of the statement “attempt to address the Republic’s health care system which continues to struggle with a shortage of doctors” it is to be noted that doctors and nurses, including specialist nurses, have different scopes of practice and can thus not replace each other.

(b) All posts for health professionals including those that utilize the capacity of qualified APNs in the Republic’s healthcare system are prioritised to ensure that the required health skills mix is provided in all the levels of care.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3483

Profile picture: Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN

Cebekhulu, Inkosi RN to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What are the details of his department’s response to the recent calls by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa for healthcare facilities such as hospitals and clinics to be exempt from load-shedding as it poses risks to patients; (2) whether he has found that patients are being adversely affected by the blackouts; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) to what extent and (b) what are the full relevant details?

Reply:

1. Firstly, the National Department of Health has identified a priority list of health facilities that require an urgent exemption either from Eskom or local municipalities. The list has been submitted to both Eskom and local municipalities for approval. Secondly, my department is currently conducting a due diligent exercise for the installation of solar panels at all our health facilities as a second or third power back-up mechanism (first being generators and second being Uninterrupted Power Supply).

2. Refer to response above.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3356

Profile picture: Thembekwayo, Dr S

Thembekwayo, Dr S to ask the Minister of Health

Which of the recommendations that were made to his department by the AuditorGeneral in the 202122 financial year were (a)(i) implemented and (ii) how were they implemented in each case and (b)(i) not implemented and (ii) what are the reasons that they were not implemented?

Reply:

The Auditor-General ‘s (AGSA) audit on National Department of Health (the department) for 2021-22 was concluded on 27 September 2022 which is when the final version of the audit reports were issued to the department. The timing of the parliamentary question preceded the issuing of the final version of the audit report to the department by AGSA. Furthermore, the department has just tabled its Annual Report 2021/22 that includes the 2021/22 AGSA’s Audit Report with recommendations. The departments Annual Report 2021/22 is also scheduled to be presented at the Portfolio Committee meeting scheduled for Friday, 14 October 2022.

The department is currently coordinating the process of ensuring that all the AGSA’s audit findings and recommendations are supported by proper management action plans to address the findings.

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3346

Profile picture: Wilson, Ms ER

Wilson, Ms ER to ask the Minister of Health

(1)With reference to the dysfunctional sewerage plant that was pouring raw and contaminated sewerage into the Elands River, upon which thousands of persons rely for water for irrigation and daily use and which is spreading water borne diseases like Cholera, Dysentery and Hepatitis and many other diseases in the process, what interactions are being held with other departments, in particular the Department of Water and Sanitation, to assess and mitigate health disasters; (2) whether water sources are checked and tested to assess the (a) possible increase in COVID-19 and (b) the spread of other diseases; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) what measures are in place at a provincial level to regularly assess the water quality and other potential disease risks in vulnerable communities; (4) what number of patients in each district in Limpopo have been treated for possible water borne diseases in the past 12 months?

Reply:

1. Interactions are being held with other departments. Municipal Health Services Departments, led by Environmental Health Practitioners, with other sector Departments such as Department of Water and Sanitation in those areas of jurisdiction jointly assess potential health hazards and risks.

The Department of Health has developed the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards that further guides Municipalities on roles they should play to ensure that communities are not exposed to unsafe water including development of Municipal Water Quality Monitoring Plans against which routine water sampling is conducted. The National Department of Health further encourages and support Municipalities in conducting health Education to the communities affected including providing all other Municipal Health Services.

2. (a) Yes, wastewater is tested. Domestic water sources are not tested because SARS-CoV-2 is not spread by water.

The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Durban University of Technology started testing wastewater for SARS-COV-2 in mid-2020, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Municipalities.

As a result, interested laboratories formed the South African Collaborative COVID-19 Environmental Surveillance System Network (SACCESS). The aim of the SACCESS is to create a network of stakeholders (including laboratories and municipalities) capable of testing wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 by standardised methodology to support tracking of the COVID-19 pandemic across South Africa.

Results of wastewater based testing for communicable diseases in influent sewerage reflect the health status of the population, and proves helpful in monitoring effects of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. SARS-CoV-2 is not transmitted by wastewater and untreated wastewater influent is not regarded as infectious for SARS-CoV-2. Data from testing of wastewater has been made available in South Africa through the NICD-led South African ‘SACCESS’ network and has contributed to developing COVID-19 response plans.

(b) Municipalities’ environmental health services are required to develop water quality monitoring plans in accordance with the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards for Environmental Health. These plans include, monthly domestic water quality monitoring plans including water borne diseases environmental surveillance, include cholera monitoring amongst others.

3. District and Metropolitan Municipalities’ environmental health services are required to develop water quality monitoring plans in accordance with the National Environmental Health Norms and Standards for Environmental Health. These plans include, the requirements for monthly domestic water quality monitoring supplies in terms of microbiological and chemical quality of water for fitness for human consumption for water services and non-water services authorities.

Sampling is focused on water supplies that are likely to pose risk to human health.

In the event of non-compliance with water quality standards, sampling frequency is increased (for example to 4 (four) samples per month).

Monitoring of water sources is accompanied by the necessary community education.

(4) The following information is supplied by the Limpopo Department of health. The most recent period for which data is available is August 2021 – July 2022.

Below is a table that indicates the number of cases of water-borne diseases that were treated:

Table: Diarrheal cases by district for last 12 months from Aug 2021 to Jul 2022 District

District

Waterborne disease

Number of case treated

Capricorn

Cholera

0

 

shigellosis

1

 

Typhoid

2

Mopani

Cholera

0

 

shigellosis

0

 

Typhoid

0

Sekhukhune

Cholera

0

 

shigellosis

0

 

Typhoid

0

Vhembe

Cholera

0

 

shigellosis

0

 

Typhoid

2

Waterberg

Cholera

0

 

shigellosis

0

 

Typhoid

0

Total

 

5

END.

13 October 2022 - NW3270

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)What is the (a) ratio for physio and/or biological to psychiatric and/or psychological healthcare services in public health facilities nationally and (b) breakdown of the ratio in each province; (2) what is the ratio for physio and/or biological to psychiatric and/or psychological healthcare workers in the Republic?

Reply:

The National Department requests the Honourable Member to rephrase the question in a clear manner for the Department to assist in responding. The question is not clear and it is difficult to provide a response.

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2792

Profile picture: McGluwa, Mr JJ

McGluwa, Mr JJ to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether he has received any communication from the Office of the Premier of Gauteng, Mr D Makhura, pertaining to the case of Babita Deokoran which is under investigation; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether he has been informed of any disciplinary procedure pertaining to Babita Deokaran's investigation case; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. The Minister received a briefing from the MEC of Health in Gauteng on issue pertaining Babita Deokoran, Thembisa Hospital and precautionary suspension of two senior officials related to the matter.

2. The Minister will await the outcome of the disciplinary process from the Provincial department

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2858

Profile picture: Ceza, Mr K

Ceza, Mr K to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether payment was made for the 12 Community Healthcare Workers of Maredi and Madras who were put onto the Persal System and made to sign contracts for screening COVID-19; if not, (2) whether he has found that his department inadvertently misled the Public Protector when they committed to correcting the specified issue; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?

Reply:

1. Payment was made to 24 Community Health Workers in Mariti (16) and Madras (8).

2. In terms of the information received from Mpumalanga Department of Health, all Community Health Workers had received their stipend by the end of August 2022.

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2747

Profile picture: Ismail, Ms H

Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health

(1)Whether, with regard to South African medical students studying outside the Republic, he will furnish Ms H Ismail with details of what total number of such students (a) are currently studying and/or (b) have completed their studies outside of the Republic; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details, including the (i) gender of the specified students and (ii) countries in which they studied in each case; (2) (a) what total number of South African medical students who have studied outside the Republic have been allocated to serve their community service duties in the past seven years and (b) to which hospitals have they been allocated to complete their community service; (3) what (a) total number of community service positions are reserved for female and male doctors and (b) are the requirements for each job reservation for female and male doctors

Reply:

1. (a) The only data available records for South African medical students studying outside the Republic is limited to those students studying under government to government agreements

(b) The completed and eligible data of recorded South African medical students studying outside the Republic are provided in 2 below (i) with gender per specified students .

(2) The data as recorded in the Internship and Community Service Program (ICSP) online System, is available from 2018 and the data can therefore be provided for the past five (5) years:

a)  total number of South African medical students who have studied outside the Republic have been allocated to serve their community service duties in the past five (5) years is 323

Year

Citizen

Gender

Total

2018

 

Male

1

 

SA

Female

39

 

 

Male

20

 

Grand Total

 

60

       
 

Citizen

Gender

Total

 

SA

Female

35

Year

 

Male

26

2019

Grand Total

 

61

       
 

Citizenship

Gender

Total

 

SA

Female

4

 

 

Male

16

 

Grand Total

 

20

Year

     

2020

Citizenship

Gender

Total

 

SA

Female

25

 

 

Male

28

 

Grand Total

 

53

Year

     

2021

Citizenship

Gender

Total

 

SA

Female

62

 

 

Male

47

 

Grand Total

 

109

       

b) The following table reflects the details in this regard.

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

ec Humansdorp Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

4

ec Khotsong TB Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

ec Laetitia Bam CHC

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

ec Madwaleni Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

ec Mhlakulo CHC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

ec Mjanyana Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

ec Sipetu Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

ec Victoria Hospital

 

2

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

3

fs Boitumelo Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Diamond (Diamant) Hospital

 

1

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

fs Dr JS Moroka Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

2

fs Elizabeth Ross Hospital

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

2

fs Embekweni Hospital

 

1

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

fs Fezi Ngumbentombi Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Itemoheng Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Katleho Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs PAX CHC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Phuthuloha Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Senorita Ntlabathi Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Winburg Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Bronkhorstspruit Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Charlotte Maxeke Hospital

2

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

gp Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

3

gp City of Johannesburg District Office

2

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

gp Edenvale Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

gp Far East Rand Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Helen Joseph Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

3

gp Mamelodi Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Sebokeng Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

gp Sedibeng District Office

2

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

gp South Rand Hospital

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

gp Tembisa Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

gp West Rand District Office

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Church of Scotland Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz East/Boom CHC

1

 

1

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

4

kz Hlabisa Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Hlengisizwe CHC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Inanda C CHC

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

kz Ladysmith Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Madadeni Hospital

1

1

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

4

kz Ndwedwe CHC

1

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

3

kz Phoenix CHC

 

2

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

kz Pholela CHC

 

1

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

3

kz Pomeroy CHC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz St Chads CHC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz St Mary's Hospital (Mariannhill)

1

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

lp Dr CN Phatudi Hospital

 

1

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

lp Mankweng Hospital

2

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

lp Pietersburg Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

lp Tshilidzini Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

mp Bethal Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

mp Elsie Ballot Hospital

1

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

mp Evander Hospital

2

1

1

 

 

 

6

1

 

1

12

mp Lydenburg Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

mp Matikwana Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

mp Middelburg Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

mp Piet Retief Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

 

4

mp Rob Ferreira Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

2

mp Shongwe Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

mp Standerton Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

2

1

1

 

6

mp Tonga Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

3

mp Witbank Hospital

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

nc Dr Harry Surtie Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nc Port Nolloth CHC

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nc Postmasburg Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

1

4

nw Kgetlengrivier sub-District Office

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Klerksdorp-Tshepong Tertiary Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

2

nw Koster Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Moses Kotane Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Moses Kotane sub-District Office

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Potchefstroom Hospital

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

nw Rustenburg sub-District Office

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

4

wc Alexandra Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Citrusdal Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

wc Eerste River Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc False Bay Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc George Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Helderberg Hospital

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

3

wc Mowbray Maternity Hospital

1

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

3

wc Paarl Hospital

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

4

wc SAMHS 2 Military Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Stellenbosch Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Swartland Hospital

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Victoria Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Worcester CDC

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

wc Worcester Hospital

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Witrand Psychiatric Hospital

 

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

kz Newtown A CHC

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

nw Ganyesa Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

2

kz St Margaret's TB MDR Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Mahatma Gandhi Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

lp Philadelphia Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

 

 

2

kz St Andrew's Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz SAMHS AFB Durban Military Medical Clinic

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Itsoseng CHC

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

3

nc Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

3

fs SAMHS Bloemfontein Military Medical Clinic

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Dr George Mukhari Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

kz King Dinuzulu Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nc Northern Cape Province Placeholder

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

nw Tigane CHC

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Mangaung District Office

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

nw Ganyesa CHC

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Tongaat CHC

 

 

1

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

3

kz St Apollinaris Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

2

wc Caledon Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Thabo Mofutsanyana District Office

 

 

1

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

wc Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Tambo Memorial Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Northdale Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz KwaZulu Natal Province Placeholder

 

 

 

3

 

 

 

 

 

 

3

nc SAMHS Midlands Sickbay

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

gp Ekurhuleni District Office

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

 

 

2

mp Carolina Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

nw Madibeng sub-District Office

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Clairwood Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

fs Stoffel Coetzee Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

 

2

kz Charles Johnson Memorial Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

2

 

4

kz Wentworth Hospital

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

kz Vryheid Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

kz Itshelejuba Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

fs Tokollo Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

1

3

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

nw SAMHS Potchefstroom Military Base Clinic

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

kz Appelsbosch Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

2

gp Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

nw Mahikeng Provincial Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

 

 

2

lp Kgapane Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

 

2

ec Amathole District Office

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

 

1

kz Catherine Booth Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

ec Canzibe Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

ec Tayler Bequest Hospital (Matatiele)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz Osindisweni Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz Dundee Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

gp City of Tshwane District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

1

 

3

nc Springbok (Dr Van Niekerk) Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

2

nc SAMHS Lohatla Military Base Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

mp Ermelo Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

2

 

 

3

nc SAMHS Upington Sickbay

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz Umphumulo Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

 

 

2

kz Montebello Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

mp Barberton Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

1

3

mp Embhuleni Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

2

nw SAMHS Molopo Sickbay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

ec Willowmore Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

ec St Patrick's Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

gp Leratong Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

kz Untunjambili Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

nw Bophelong Psychiatric Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

mp Ehlanzeni District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

fs Xhariep District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

2

 

 

3

mp Matibidi Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

nw Job Shimankana Tabane Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

lp Letaba Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz uMgungundlovu District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz GJ Crooke's Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

 

1

kz Harry Gwala District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

kz Impilwenhle Clinic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

fs Lejweleputswa District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

nc SAMHS Kimberley Sickbay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

nw Ventersdorp Sub-District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

lp SAMHS Ba-Phalaborwa Sickbay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

gp Steve Biko Academic Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

 

1

ec Wilhelm Stahl (Middelburg) Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

ec Tower Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

fs SAMHS Kroonstad Sickbay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

fs Botshabelo Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

kz Benedictine Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

ec St Elizabeth's Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

2

lp Seshego Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

ec Empilweni Gompo CHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

gp Carletonville Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

nc John Taolo Gaetsewe District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

Medical Community Service Studied Abroad Allocations past 5 years per facility

Facility names

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

Grand Total

 

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

Female

Male

 

wc Elsies River CHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

wc Kraaifontein CHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

wc Khayelitsha (Site B) CHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

kz Rietvlei Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

wc Beaufort West Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

mp KwaMhlanga Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

ec Dora Nginza Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

ec Empilisweni Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

mp Themba Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

 

1

lp Malamulele Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

wc Breede Valley sub-District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

lp Helene Franz Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

ec Bambisana Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

kz Nkandla Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

lp Siloam Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

ec Settlers Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

kz eThekwini District Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

kz Christ the King Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

gp Jubilee Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

gp Pholosong Hospital

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

1

Grand Total

67

48

26

32

4

16

37

29

43

21

323

(3) (a) The number of community service positions reserved for female and male doctors are 1 897;

(b) requirements for each job is complying with registration requirements to register as a community service doctor as set by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2860

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

What total number of COVID-19 vaccines (a) have (i) been discarded and (ii) had their expiration date extended and/or adjusted further and (b) is the Republic still in the process of purchasing?

Reply:

a) (i) No doses that were stored at the vaccine distributors have expired.

(ii) There have been three shelf-life extensions of the Pfizer Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. The shelf-life extensions were effective on the following dates, and the stock on hand at the vaccine distributors at the time of the extension is reflected below:

  • 1 October 2021 - three-month shelf-life extension. Stock on hand at the time of extension = 9,145,590 doses.
  • 14 December 2021 - three-month shelf-life extension. Stock on hand at the time of extension = 9,209,880 doses.
  • 12 May 2022 - three-month shelf-life extension. Stock on hand at the time of extension = 10,449,150 doses.

(b) The Republic is not in the process of purchasing more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2862

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

(a) What are the reasons that medical students who were sent by his department to study in Russia are no longer receiving stipends, (b) on what date is it envisaged that the crisis will be resolved and (c) who has been held responsible for the negligence?

Reply:

The Provincial Departments of Health have provided the following information regarding the payment status of South African Citizen students who pursuing medical studies in Russia:

Name Provinces

Student sent to Russia

Yes/No

Stipends being paid

Yes/No

When will the crisis be solved

Who has been held accountable

Eastern Cape

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Free State

Yes

All active students in Russia are receiving stipends as authorization was given for the whole financial year 2022/23.

No crisis.

Not applicable

Gauteng

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

KwaZulu-Natal

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Limpopo

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Mpumalanga

Yes

229

32 of the 229 students not paid. Reason for delayed payments is due to the fact that these students have technical glitches with their banking details and they are already in Russia and the Province is exploring ways to process payments

Students were advised to open Digital banking accounts through e.g. Tymes bank in order to be able to send the bank confirmation letter for payment through BAS(Basic Accounting System). Once bank confirmations are received, the stipends will be paid accordingly for the 32 students.

No one as the challenge was not caused by employees.

Northern Cape

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

North West

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

Western Cape

No

Not applicable

Not applicable

Not applicable

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2861

Profile picture: Chirwa, Ms NN

Chirwa, Ms NN to ask the Minister of Health

What (a) total number (i) of adverse effects caused by COVID-19 vaccines have been reported to the Government, (ii) of those have been investigated and (iii) have been found to be related to the specified vaccine and (b) has been the response of Government in instances where adverse effects caused by COVID-19 vaccines have been reported?

Reply:

An adverse event (not effect) following immunisation (AEFI) is any untoward medical occurrence which follows immunisation and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine. The adverse event may be any unfavourable or unintended physical sign, abnormal laboratory finding, symptom or disease.

i) From 17 May 2021 to the 8 August 2022 a total number of 6561 AEFIs (total minor and severe) following the use of either the Pfizer (Comirnaty) or J&J (COVID-19 vaccine Janssen) were reported to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).

ii) Only severe and serious AEFIs are investigated. A total of 2771 clinical investigations are either concluded or under way.

iii) Following investigation, the case files are sent to the National Immunisation Safety Expert Committee (NISEC) for assessment.  For assessments completed up to the 2 September 2022:

  • 81 AEFIs have been linked to the use of a COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer 52 and J&J 29)
  • these events include immunisation stress related reactions (fear of vaccination) and vaccine product related reaction or were related to the immunisation programme

The causality assessment outcomes are shared with the provincial health departments to provide feedback to the vaccine injured parties, regardless of the outcome.

The purpose of causality assessment is to ensure that high levels of vaccine confidence are maintained in the immunisation programme, and it is therefore essential to identify if an AEFI was causally linked to the use of the vaccine or whether the AEFI was coincidental to vaccination.

Accurate communication about AEFI is essential to prevent misinformation circulating in the community.

END.

28 September 2022 - NW2879

Profile picture: Groenewald, Dr PJ

Groenewald, Dr PJ to ask the Minister of Health

(1)With reference to investigations into deaths in all state mortuaries, in what total number of the deaths (a) in the (i) 2018-19, (ii) 2019-20, (iii) 2020-21 and (iv) 2021-22 financial years and (b) from 1 April 2022 up to the latest specified date for which information is available, the specified death occurred due to (aa) firearms, (bb) blunt objects and (cc) knives and/or other sharp objects; (2) whether he will make a statement on the matter?

Reply:

  1. The table indicates total number of deaths by Province 

Province  

(a)((i) 2018/19 

(a)((ii) 2019/20 

(a)((iii) 2021/22 

(a)((iv) 2022/23 

(a)01 April 2023 to date  

Eastern Cape 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Free State 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Gauteng 

17940  

18324 

16243 

20221 

9392 

KwaZulu- Natal 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Limpopo 

4658 

5008 

4406 

5416 

2439 

Mpumalanga 

4892 

4949 

4994 

5098 

2246 

Northern Cape 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Northwest 

1256 

1225 

1194 

1423 to date   

 

Western Cape 

5666 

5824 

5362 

5965 

2416 

 

Province  

(aa) Motor vehicle 

(bb) drownings 

Eastern Cape 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Free State 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Gauteng 

  602  

102 

KwaZulu- Natal 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Limpopo 

701 

45 

Mpumalanga 

10108 

1201 

Northern Cape 

outstanding 

outstanding 

Northwest 

2045 

318 

Western Cape 

  1. 917 
 

2. No.

END.