Western Cape Department of Health receives third consecutive clean audit amidst pandemic
The Standing Committee on Health in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament commend the Western Cape Department of Health for receiving a clean audit for the third financial year in a row whilst at the same time successfully navigating significant changes to the provincial healthcare system in order to manage 2 waves of Covid-19 infections.
During 2020/2021 financial year, the Department also recorded 50 additional clinics as having achieved platinum status in the Ideal Clinic Realisation programme which undertakes a systemic approach to improve service delivery and quality care.
MPP Wendy Philander says: “Within the broader service delivery environment, 75% of the Western Cape population is dependent on public healthcare services, and the hard lockdown meant even more citizens needed to rely on state health services as 7% of our population in the province lost jobs and income".
Though the Department was required to de-escalate non-priority services which affected its overall performance, it saw an increase in patient visits at District Hospitals in particular and responded to the demand by expanding capacity through establishing 3 state of the art intermediate care facilities when these services were strained. This, along with repurposing existing wards to provide additional Covid-19 care, demonstrates agility in management of health facilities in the Western Cape and showcases the provincial government’s readiness to deal with subsequent, potential waves of infection.
In addition, the Department improved and made progress on 10 facilities. The only delays that were recorded in infrastructural upgrades were directly linked to restrictions due to Covid-19 nationally-determined lockdown regulations. We look forward to the commissioning the new Forensic Pathology Institute which will be the first of its kind in Africa. These measures speak to the commitment of building capacity and running a highly technical yet efficient health service for the people of the province.
The Committee, on 17 November, unanimously extended our accolades to every official and medical practitioner for their resilience and efforts to help reimagine the system in the Western Cape. The Committee, further unanimously resolved to put a motion forward at the next sitting as a gesture of special tribute to the Western Cape Health Department. Their tireless efforts have exceeded all expectations. The performance report for 2020/2021 once again sets the provincial government apart from others, but moreover its shows commitment to ensuring that public funds and good governance translates into efficient, effective service delivery.
