This is according to the MEC for Health, Montseng Tsiu, during her 2019/20 departmental budget vote speech in the provincial Legislature on Wednesday.  

She also says to date 145 medical doctors have been appointed across the medical facilities in all five districts in the province and says this number includes those who are still undergoing through some training from national and international universities.

She says the remaining 1 509 nurses will be appointed during the next fiscal year.

Tsiu says the National Department of Health, in collaboration with the Presidency and National Treasury, has allocated funds for Human Resources, beds, mattresses, and linen under the indirect grant to improve and provide quality health care to province.

During the State of the Province Address (Sopa) in February 2019, premiere Sisi Ntombela announced that the province will appoint 457 medical doctors.

Tsiu also revealed that the province received a total of R28,867 million of which R15,9 million was spent on appointing 157 health professionals of various categories. She further says, as part of job creation, a total of 2 315 Community Health Workers at a stipend of R3 500 have been appointed.

"Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP): 388 at a stipend of R2000, to date we have insourced 1 021 personnel in the following categories, Food Aids 289, Household Aids 149 and Security 583."

Tsiu says in the current financial year the budget of the department has increased by 7, 3%.

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