The Eastern Cape Executive Council (EXCO) has taken a significant step to address staffing and service delivery issues in the province’s health sector. In a meeting held on Thursday, 23 May 2024, the EXCO approved the budget reprioritisation request tabled by the Eastern Cape Department of Health (DoH).
This reprioritisation will enable the permanent appointment of approximately 508 Post Community Service practitioners. Additionally, various healthcare workers whose contracts expired earlier this year due to budgetary constraints will have their contracts renewed. This move is part of the EXCO’s efforts to address historical budget limitations in the health department permanently.
To ensure that these budget pressures do not compromise service delivery, the EXCO has directed the Office of the Premier and the Provincial Treasury to continuously collaborate with the DoH. This partnership aims to sustainably manage the budget and maintain high standards of healthcare services.
The approved budget changes will pave the way for more healthcare workers to be employed within this financial year, directly addressing staff shortages in the department. This reprioritisation is seen as the first step in tackling primary issues and finding viable long-term solutions. The government is mobilising all available resources to ensure that quality healthcare services are provided to all the people of the Eastern Cape.
For further information, Mkhululi Ndamase, Health MEC Spokesperson, can be contacted at 071 851 8338. Additionally, inquiries can be directed to the Government Spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, at 082 728 7476 or via email at khuselwa.rantjie@ecotp.gov.za.
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