NCOP
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 2
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 06 JUNE 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 1)
Ms E C van Lingen (DA-EC) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether he has been informed of the 56 primary health care clinics
within the Cacadu District Municipality facing closure; if so,
(2) whether any steps have been taken by his department to prevent
closure of such clinics; if not, why not; if so, what steps;
(3) whether he will give a full financial report on the primary health
care clinics in all the district municipalities in the Eastern Cape as
well as the other provinces; if not, why not; if so, what are the
relevant details?
CW2E
REPLY:
(1) According to the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health, the
Cacadu District Municipality informed the Provincial Department of
Health in May 2009, of their council resolution to terminate the
agreement with the Department on the provision of PHC services if the
Municipality budget request for 2009/2010 is not fully met. There was
however no indication that the municipality was intending to close
the clinics that they are currently managing.
(2) Yes, the municipality is being engaged in discussions regarding the
funding of PHC services they are providing, in order to ensure
continued service delivery in the areas affected.
(3) The Eastern Cape Department of Health is facing challenges to fully
fund PHC services provided by 26 of the 45 municipalities in the
Province. It has attempted to accommodate their needs regarding
staffing and equipment through the deployment of its own staff and
providing equipment where it was not possible to provide additional
funding through Service Level Agreements.
END.