The tabling of the budget will commence at Phuthaditjhaba Hall, Qwaqwa

Health’s budget allocation is the second largest in the province after Education, which was allocated more than R17 billion.

An amount of R1.293 billion has been included in Health’s allocation, specifically provided over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period to cater for sector pressures, namely the compensation of employees, medicine, service backlogs, which include anti-retroviral therapy or treatment, tuberculosis and other goods and services pressures.

Finance MEC Gadija Brown has said that it is in the provincial government’s plans to create contract employment opportunities for youth who have relevant IT qualifications to begin with the digitation of patients’ documents in various hospitals.

ALSO READ: Maternity ward at Pelonomi to be completed in new financial year

It remains unclear whether Leeto will also touch on when the maternity ward of the province’s foremost trauma hospital, Pelonomi,will be finished. Former Premier Sisi Ntombela previously said the maternity ward would be fully renovated by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.

Her successor, Mxolisi Dukwana, said the provincial government will invest in healthcare infrastructure, which will include the renovation of Pelonomi's maternity ward. Dukwana said there are other several healthcare facilities being renovated alongside Pelonomi’s maternity ward, namely the Bongani Hospital Nursing School in Welkom, the Mofumahadi Manapo Mopeli Nursing School in Qwaqwa; and an orthopaedic unit at the Albert Nzula Hospital in Trompsburg.

ALSO READ: VF plus ontevrede oor toestand van Vrystaatse gesondheidsdienste

The FF Plus has asked a question about the staff shortage in the public health sector, which revealed that there are more than 6 000 vacant posts allegedly due to a lack of funds. The party believes that the shortage contributes to the poor state of health services in the province. Member of Parliament, Adriaan de Bruyn, said they are not satisfied with Phaahla's approach to the problem.

“It is unacceptable that the health department has so many vacant posts because it hinders the quality of services patients receive in hospitals and clinics,” he said. He also explained that the provincial department of Health has appointed a task team to give priority to critical positions each year. The task team aims to fill 875 vacancies in March 2023 at a cost of more than R200 million. De Bruyn has asked Phaahla about the steps that would be taken to restore the province's health services.

ALSO READ: More than 100 vacancies filled at Pelonomi

The 2022/23 financial year saw 114 vacancies being filled at the province's foremost trauma hospital, the Pelonomi Hospital in Bloemfontein. The departmental spokesperson, Mondli Mvambi, said at the end of September 2022, 52 professional nurses have been appointed at the hospital, as well as 21 nursing assistants, 11 medical officers, 6 drivers, 5 switchboard operators, 3 operational managers, 3 artisan foremen, 3 medical specialists, 2 area managers (nursing), 2 boiler operators, 2 chief physiotherapists, 1 food service manager, 1 chief dietician, 1 dietician, and 1 chief occupational therapist. Staff shortages have been a major issue at the hospital, which the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) identified as a crisis during an oversight visit to healthcare facilities in the province.

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