The Portfolio Committee on Health was briefed by the Office of the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) yesterday. The Committee was briefed on the service delivery outcomes of the health sector for the 2015/16 financial year.

Responding to the presentation from the AGSA, a Committee member Mr Fish Mahlalela welcomed the report presented before the Committee. However, he questioned what the process would be following the presentation: “What do you expect us to do with the report,” he asked.

Mr Mahlalela said an audit was conducted in 2014/15 that looked into the findings of the health sector and that report was never presented before the Committee. “How is this report presented today different from the 2014/15 report? The previous report was not shared with us – it is only the 2015/16 report that is being shared with the Committee,” he said.

“Are there any improvements in the current report as compared with the 2014/15 report?” asked Mr Mahlalela.

Briefing the Committee, the AGSA told the Committee that among the challenges that the provinces are faced with when planning for the procurement and maintenance of medical equipment, is that no policies and procedures are in place for procurement in some provinces. In its findings the AGSA found that there are no approved standard operating procedures for procurement and maintenance of equipment.

Dr Wilmot James, a Committee member, said his greatest concern in the health system is a need to have a common platform that must be used in hospitals. “Billions of rands have been spent since 1994 to develop a common platform but it’s in a shocking state. We know how to do it and it’s not rocket science,” said Dr James.

The AGSA said one of the challenges the public health sector is faced with when it comes to billing and revenue systems, is that there are different systems in the different provinces.

The Committee raised concerns about the management of healthcare waste. Members of the Committee said better monitoring mechanisms need to be put in place.

Ms Doreen Senokoanyane, a Committee member, said: “Waste management is also historical, the Department of Health must strengthen its evaluation and monitoring systems. It means healthcare waste is not being monitored. Management of healthcare waste needs to be monitored quite closely.”

The report stated that there are weaknesses in internal control processes as approved written policies and procedures for the appropriate disposal of healthcare waste were not in place.

Ms Susan Thembekwayo, a Committee member, questioned how health infrastructure projects are embarked upon if a needs analysis has not been done. “What informs them (contractors) of the needs of the hospitals?” she asked. The report indicated that contractors do not produce quality work in infrastructure projects. Infrastructure needs were not correctly identified and prioritised as appropriate information was not used during the needs analysis. Five out of nine provinces did not follow the prescriptions of National Treasury’s guidelines.

By Yoliswa Landu

1 March 2017