Committee DOH Budget Report

Members of the Portfolio Committee on Health were concerned at the inconsistencies between the Committee’s Budget Report and the Department of Health’s (DOH’s) annual performance plan (APP) on the implementation and objectives of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme. They cautioned against changing the meaning of the DOH presentation and documents, as the Committee’s report went out to the public. The Committee decided to remove the section on the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), as its presentation had not sufficiently addressed or analysed issues relating to the APP. It included the Auditor General’s (AG’s) analysis on human resources and expenditure management, as human resources could make or break the health sector. Under the report’s findings and recommendation section, Members raised concerns over the DOH’s removal of 37 indicators from its overall programme plans. They were also concerned that the Department had not provided a clear timeline for tabling the National Health Insurance Bill. The Committee added an observation on the Office of the Ombudsman, noting that it received its budget funding from the Office of Health Standards Compliance, but reported to the Minister of Health. Members proposed that the Committee should invite the Ombudsman to account for this situation, and suggested that it receive funding from the DOH. In addition, the Committee was deeply concerned about the excess accruals incurred by Provincial Health Departments, which used funds from the current financial year to pay for services rendered in the previous year. It suggested that the National Health Department assist the Provincial Departments to align their APPs with their budgets. The Committee raised the issue of unfilled vacancies, and several senior management positions in the Department having been filled in an acting capacity for a long time. It also suggested that the health professions bodies should form part of its solutions, as they were r