Charles Molele
The Minister of Finance Tito Mboweni announced on Thursday that R717 billion will be allocated to health services, including the National Health Insurance.
“In health, we need simple, effective interventions. We need more doctors and nurses. R2.8 billion has been reprioritised to a new human resources grant and R1 billion for medical interns. R1 billion has been added to raise the wages of community healthcare workers to R3 500 per month,” said Mboweni during his budget speech in Parliament.
Mboweni said an added R319 million is being allocated to eliminate malaria in South Africa.
READ: Mboweni boosts budget for Education
According to the 2019 Budget Review Report, spending in health will grow annually by an average of 7% over the medium term.
The report also states that the HIV/Aids and malaria components would receive an additional R1 billion in 2021/22, mainly to fund increased antiretroviral uptake. The community outreach component receives an additional R1 billion to implement the minimum wage for community health workers.
“In line with the health sector’s ambition to eliminate malaria by 2023/24, the malaria component is allocated R318.8 million over the MTEF period,” according to the report.
READ: Opposition: Mboweni’s budget speech ‘Uninspiring’
A further R30 million is allocated in 2020/21 and 2021/22 to co-finance a regional malaria prevention project in Mozambique.
An additional R1.4 billion is allocated to the health facility revitalisation component of the NHI indirect grant, to construct the new Limpopo Academic Hospital in Polokwane over the next three years.
Some of this funding will also improve existing tertiary hospitals in Limpopo.
