News | Public Health

Eastern Cape to re-purpose 19 hospitals in cost-saving move

15 August 2024.15:30
 

The Eastern Cape Department of Health plans to repurpose 19 small hospitals, those with fewer than 50 beds to save costs, a move welcomed by most healthcare organisations.

Health MEC Ntandokazi Capa announced the decision during her maiden budget and policy speech, emphasising the need for government to rethink its operations in the current economic climate.

The affected hospitals, which do not meet the criteria to be classified as hospitals under the 2012 policy for managing public hospitals in South Africa, will undergo consultations with relevant stakeholders, including communities, to ensure continued access to quality healthcare.

The repurposing is driven by the need to deliver appropriate services based on local healthcare demands, such as the growing need for mental health services due to substance-induced psychosis among the young population, while TB cases have declined.

The Rural Health Advocacy Project and the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) largely support the plan but stress the importance of consultation to ensure effective service delivery.

The final list of hospitals to be repurposed will be made public after consultations to avoid misunderstandings. This decision follows similar considerations made in 2022 to address the low levels of TB admissions and the lack of district hospitals and psychiatric facilities.

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