(a) How will his department handle the failure to disclose/declare financial interests by healthcare workers in the 202324 financial year, (b) what are some of the reasons there is failure to comply with the processes of disclosure and (c) how does his department plan to empower healthcare workers with sufficient knowledge on disclosures, including why they are important and the technical aspect of making submissions easier?
a) The disclosure/ declaration of financial interests by employees in the public service is regulated by Regulation 18 of the Public Service Regulations, 2016, which requires designated employees to submit particulars of their financial interests to their respective heads of departments and non-compliance in this regard is handled in line with the provisions of Section 16A of the Public Service Act, which require the ...
What (a) is the current backlog on toxicology analysis at each forensic chemistry laboratory of the National Health Laboratory Service in each province, (b) what measures have been put in place to eradicate the backlog, (c) what total number of toxicology tests does each laboratory run on each day and (d) by what date will the backlog at each forensic laboratory in each province be eradicated?
According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):
a) Toxicology tests are conducted at three of the four Forensic Chemistry Laboratories namely, Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. The toxicology tests are supposed to be tested within 90 days from the date the samples are registered in the testing laboratory. Any test that has not been completed and authorised within 90 days is classified as ...
With regard to the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO), as revealed in the 202223 Budget Report, that there is a significant backlog in the cases to be adjudicated upon, (a) what impact of inadequate human resources contributed to the backlog, (b) how significant is the budget constraint in terms of the effectiveness of staff shortages and OHO's ability to fulfil its mandate and (c) what steps have been taken to address governance challenges experienced by the OHO?
According to the Health Ombud:
a) Since the inception of the Office of the Health Ombud (OHO) in 2016, there have been inadequate investigative human resources to support optimal functionality. Commencing with two senior investigators in 2017, OHO had only five investigative staff between 2018 – and 2023 (Two senior investigators and three investigators). Due to the severe staff shortages, the two senior investigators ...
(1)How has the National Health Laboratory Service expanded the toxicology capacity in the forensic chemistry laboratories in (a) Cape Town, (b) Johannesburg and (c) Pretoria;
(2) (a) what progress has been made in expanding the services of the Durban Forensic Chemistry Laboratory (FCL) to include toxicology testing and (b) by what date is it envisaged that the Durban FCL will be able to start toxicology analysis?
According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):
1. The NHLS is currently in the process of procuring additional analytical equipment and all vacant positions are being filled to ensure an effective staff complement.
a) Cape Town: the NHLS is in the process of procuring additional instruments to increase testing capacity;
b) Johannesburg: a new building has been identified that will accommodate further ...
Whether he will furnish Mr T Mogale with the details of the food contract between the Gauteng Department of Health and the provincial government of Limpopo; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the full, relevant details?
The details of the food contract is as follows:
Tender Number: HEDP021/19/20
Duration: 01/07/2023 to 31/04/2024
Contract description: Supply and delivery of perishable provisions at all hospitals in the Limpopo Department of Health for 36 month.
Items covered in the tender:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Bread
- Chicken Breast and Wings
- Fish
- Full Cream Milk/ Low-fat milk
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Yogurt plain low-fat
- Mageu
END.
(1)Considering the role of the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) and with reference to a situational analysis that revealed that the NHLS has a spiralling debt crisis that currently sits at R1,2 billion, which implies that the NHLS is essentially operating with an unfunded mandate, what is his department’s plan of action to recover the millions of rands owed by Provincial Health Departments;
(2) whether, in light of the National Institute of Communicable Diseases, National Institute of Occupational Health, Forensic Chemistry Laboratory Services (FCLS) and National Cancer Registry operating under unfunded mandates without funding from the National Treasury, the shortage of staff and rotations, especially in the FCLS, contributed to the creation of a backlog in the turnaround time for sample testing and results; if so, has the severe backlog affected the SA Police Service in the apprehension of suspects and/or the conviction of the alleged suspects?
According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):
1. The NHLS is currently working and communicating with the Provincial Departments of Health to collect all outstanding funds owed to the NHLS. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Free State, and Western Cape have cleared the debt owed for the previous financial years and are paying their current debt timeously. North-West has cleared most of its historic debt and ...
In light of how Rahima Moosa Hospital is constantly targeted by criminality to the extent that the Gauteng Department of Health calls for heightened policing of the facility, (a) what has been the security capacitation efforts of the facility, (b) how does he plan to address the violent incidents that place the lives of patients, healthcare workers and the surrounding community members at risk in and around public healthcare facilities and (c) what are the innovative means his department has employed to deal with security threats in public healthcare facilities?
a) According to Gauteng Department of Health,
- South African Police Services (SAPS) has been alerted of the incident and the Department has also requested regular patrols along the hospital boundaries.
- Hospital security is also patrolling an additional 50 metre radius outside the hospital gates especially during shift changes.
- The local community policing forum has also been involved to assist with pro-active policing and community ...
What (a)(i) is the current backlog of blood analysis at the Johannesburg Forensic Chemistry Laboratory, (ii) measures have been put in place to address the backlog and (iii) is the total number of blood analyses that are conducted on each day in the specified facility and (b) by what date will the backlog be eradicated?
According to the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS):
a) (i) Blood Alcohol tests are conducted at all four Forensic Chemistry Laboratories in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg, and Pretoria. These test requests comprise the bulk of services delivered by the FCLs (more than 80% of all test requests received). The blood alcohol tests are supposed to be tested within 90 days from the time the ...
(a) What total number of robberies have taken place in public healthcare facilities in each province over the past six months, (b)(i) which facilities were affected in each province and (ii) what total number of times did robbery take place in each facility and (c) how did his department respond to the robberies in terms of intervention?
According to information received from the Provincial Departments of Health, the responses are as follows:
EASTERN CAPE
a) One robbery and two-armed robberies.
b) (i) Empilweni TB Hospital, Helenvale and Zigidlo Clinic.
(ii) 1
(c) At Empilweni TB Hospital, the Security Company on-site decided to re-imburse its own personnel for the loss of their belongings (Security Officers). The criminal cases were opened at SAPS ...
(a) How has he responded to the more than 800 incidences of food poisoning in Gauteng in a space of five months, (b) what steps of intervention have been taken to prevent such incidents in the future and (c) what initiatives have been taken to curb food poisoning in communities?
a) Response teams in all the affected areas were activated and investigations commenced immediately to try and establish the type of food consumed by the affected people.
- Specimens were collected and sent to National Health laboratories to detect and identify the chemicals/organisms in the samples.
- The Gauteng Provincial Public Health Directorate further established the Incident Management Team that meets twice a week to monitor ...
