Pretoria – The Gauteng Department of Health has invested R30 million towards brand new linen for hospitals and clinics currently facing acute shortages.
Gauteng Health spokesperson Simon Zwane said the department has over the past year faced an acute shortage of linen, including bed linen, doctors’ linen for theatre use, patient clothing and other protective clothing control linen.
As part of addressing the crisis, the department has started the Gauteng Provincial Government linen bank.
“The department moved to urgently invest just up to R30 million in linen procurement from various providers, including women's cooperatives, the Department of Labour and other local companies.
“To date, over R10 million has been spent towards replenishing linen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital as well as R3.3 million and R4.3 million for the new Zola /Jabulani and Natalspruit Hospitals, respectively.
“As a medium to long term solution, the Provincial Budget Council approved the establishment of a linen bank as a measure to improve its linen management model,” said Zwane.
The department was also instructed to move from the old order RSA/TPA stamped-linen and introduce a new, high quality Gauteng Provincial Government branded linen.
As a starting point, about 95 000 pieces of linen (representing just under 10%) have been ordered as an initial capital input for the linen stock for public health facilities in Gauteng.
An additional 90% is currently out on tender for delivery over the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) period. The department has already taken delivery of 99% of the bed linen stock. Delivery of the rest of the ordered stock is expected in the current and/or next quarter.
Zwane said much importance had been placed on value for money and quality when sourcing linen. – SAnews.gov.za
