The DA in Limpopo calls on Health MEC, Dieketseng Mashego, to accelerate efforts to address the serious healthcare challenges that continue to compromise the standard of service the people of Limpopo receive. This follows a recent presentation of an audit report by the Auditor-General (AG) on Limpopo’s provincial health department to the SCOPA portfolio committee in the Limpopo Legislature.
The presentation has revealed shocking shortcomings, with 187 clinics failing to meet ideal clinic status and with some elements and essential standards not being assessed at 287 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities.
Some of the key challenges identified across the province’s clinics and Hospital that continue to impede adequate healthcare provision include:
– Non-compliant and unhygienic facilities
– Poor stock management and medical supply shortages
– Infrastructure hazards posing risks to patients and staff
– Inadequate water supply and unchecked adequacy
– Insufficient human resources
The impact of failing to address these challenges by Health MEC Mashego and her department is stark. As a result only 5 of 30 district hospitals (17%), 2 of 5 regional hospitals (40%) and only 289 of 476 PHC facilities (61%) attained ideal status in 2024/25.
The province continues to struggle to deal with addressing medico legal claims in excess of R 12 billion that continues to threaten the ability of the department to provide adequate services. The AG presentation also highlighted irregular expenditure incurred with the main contributors being supply and delivery of fire tube boiler coal at R 39.511 million and the supply and delivery of public health linen at R88.718 million. This may strongly indicate a breach of the five pillars of procurement namely equity, fairness, cost effectiveness, transparency and competitiveness.
These shortcomings put patients and quality healthcare at risk, compromising healthcare services. To address these issues, the Limpopo Department of Health must prioritize infrastructure upgrades and maintenance, strengthen supply chain management, ensure adequate staffing and training and implement robust quality assurance measures.
The DA is committed to ensuring accountability and the improvement of services in Limpopo’s healthcare system.