Pretoria – Gauteng Health MEC Hope Papo has warned senior managers in the department about “taking kickbacks leading to price hikes and delays in payments for suppliers".
“It is still puzzling that invoices disappear for periods of over two years and resurface when a supplier has taken legal action," said Papo, speaking on Wednesday at a two-day performance review meeting in Auckland Park, attended by managers of his department.
He was making reference to a case where a supplier was owed R34 000 for a period of over two years because one official had kept the invoice for no apparent reason.
"This must come to an immediate stop,” he said.
While he expressed appreciation that the department was "moving away from the period of negativity to a period where there is progress towards better performance", he said the turnaround strategy should also be seen and felt by patients when visiting health facilities.
He criticised the exorbitant prices that the department was paying for medical equipment and other services.
"Gauteng Health leads in the procurement of medical equipment but we are still price takers. This can't be allowed to persist," he told managers. "People taking kickbacks are the main cause and also hamper our efforts to clear accruals."
Papo explained that the reason the department found itself under financial pressure in 2011 was mainly as a result of "wrong and reckless decisions and practices".
He emphasised the need for the spirit and commitment to turn the department around to permeate all levels and sections of the department.
"Turning this department around will not be a 'big bang' event but a process that must be championed all staff members. While we performed well in the hospital audit, we must not lose sight of the fact that we performed badly on staff attitudes and cleanliness."
He congratulated managers for improvements in a number of areas such as in the Anti-Retroviral Therapy Programme and other services.
However; the MEC said there was a need to improve in the early booking - before 20 weeks - of pregnant mothers, efficiency and proper functionality of clinic and district hospitals, Emergency Medical Services, the detainment of nursing personnel especially those with special skills such as advanced midwives, primary healthcare, etc.
"Improving efficiencies will result in better health outcomes and improved staff morales. While there is emphasis on fiscal turnaround, we cannot ignore improving the experiences of our people in health facilities. I therefore expect concrete plans to improve in the areas I have highlighted," concluded MEC Papo. – SAnews.gov.za
