4.4.7 The Military Health Support programme, which provides prepared and supported health capabilities and services for the defence and protection of the country, has seen a budgetary decrease of 4.75 per cent. The programme consumes 8.8% of the Department's total budget. As indicated in the ENE, spending will mainly be on renewing of main medical equipment and upgrading of health facilities. The two largest sub-programmes remain Area Military Health Service (32.32%) and Specialist/Tertiary Health Service (31.19%). The Department's 2009/10 Annual Report indicated that the critical shortage of health care practitioners continued to impact on the combat readiness of the SAMHS. It also indicated that the management interventions that have been introduced will only bear fruit in the medium to long term.