Special Reports on the financial management of Government’s Covid-19 initiatives: briefing by the Auditor-General; OHSC & NHLS 2021/22 Annual Performance Plans

Video: Portfolio Committee on Health PM video Annual Performance Plans The Committee met with the Auditor-General South Africa in a virtual meeting to discuss the key findings and outcomes of its first and second Special Reports on the financial management of Government’s Covid-19 initiatives in 2020. The presentation focused on four areas: the purchasing and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), community screening and testing, the capacitation of hospital beds through erection of field hospitals, and other expenditure. The Special Reports outlined a range of deficiencies and non-compliance in the PPE procurement processes across all the provinces. The discussion focused on the purchasing and distribution of PPE for Healthcare workers. The Committee raised concerns that while the country was in the middle of a pandemic and experienced a great shortage of PPE in 2020, the Auditor General’s investigations showed that some deliveries of PPE were not handled with any care at all. Members reacted with disappointment and indignation to the reports that eight of nine provinces were found to have sometimes stored PPE deliveries outside, in walkways, in boxes on top of each other, and left them outside in harsh weather conditions. Members noted while people scrambled to get things done during the pandemic, some of these things were basic, deliberate, and criminal. The Committee said it would be a dereliction of its duty if it did not intervene and question the Provincial political leaders and their Heads of Department. Those responsible should be held accountable. It requested the Auditor-General to name and shame the healthcare facilities that were responsible for the poor storage and delivery of PPE as indicated in the photographs shown in the meeting. Members noted people who relied on that equipment were at the frontline and many health workers died as a result of what was presented. This was tantamount to attempted murder as it was prepared to supply tha