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TimesLIVE reports that the head of the Gauteng health department has admitted that hospitals in the province have a critical shortage of nurses and doctors.
Prof Mkhululi Lukhele was being questioned by the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) as part of its investigation into the state of health care in the province. Lukhele was asked about the commission's investigations in 2018 when it visited five large Gauteng hospitals to investigate waiting lists for cancer radiation, long waiting times and baby deaths. Referring to the SAHRC’s exposure of a severe shortage of nurses and doctors, Lukhele observed: "You have hit the nail on the head." He pointed out the number of people living in Gauteng had increased without a corresponding increase in health staff. "Ten years ago it had 7-million people, now it has 14.5m. The system is jamming," Lukhele noted, adding that staffing and budgets had not kept up with demand for health services in the province. Nor had the health budget allocation from treasury kept up with public servants' wage increases each year. The result was that "as a CEO you need 10 people but you have money for nine". A Gauteng department of health circular was sent to all hospital CEOs in 2018 telling them not to hire staff to replace those who resigned or retired. But Lukhele denied there was moratorium on staff, describing it instead as "CEOs having to manage the purse".
- Read the full original of Katharine Child’s report on this story at TimesLIVE
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