The Department of Health and Social Development remains under-funded, said Mr Seaparo Sekoati, MEC for Health and Social Development, when he delivered the department’s budget speech in the Limpopo Legislature on Friday.

"The allocation for 2008/09 financial year amounts to 25.5% of the provincial equitable share, which is R129.6 million less than the formula allows. The department, however, appreciates the positive growth of this allocation from 24.1% in the 2007/08 financial year," said Sekoati.

According to Sekoati, the growth represents 1.4%, amounting to R363 million of the provincial equitable share allocation from the revised baseline.

He indicated in his budget speech that a further R193 million had been allocated as additional to the baseline amount, taking the total additional amount of the vote to R556 million. Sekoati outlined that conditional grants had grown by R112 million, representing a 14.6% growth.

"This additional amount will be channeled to critical priorities where the department was having some challenges, such as the provision of medicine to clinics, health centers and hospitals, the upgrading of clinics, TB services, emergency medical services, medical waste removal, the HIV and AIDS comprehensive plan and an increase of bursaries to address the shortage of health professionals in the province," said Sekoati.

He further acknowledged that although there was a noticeable growth in the budget of the department, there was still a shortfall in terms of the following: Compensation of employees relating to occupation-specific dispensation for nurses, R272 million; Comprehensive treatment plan: R33 million; Implementation of the TB crises management plan: R15 million; Malaria control i.e. to increase the number of structures to be sprayed, R5 million; and the planned Sekhukhune central laundry at R80 million.

"The programme on clinic upgrade and Mokopane Nursing College has also been affected by the shortfall. The allocation to hospitals has increased by 5.5%, but still has a shortfall of R110 million to address security services, investigation done through the national health laboratory services and water and electricity," said Sekoati.

It was further outlined in the budget speech, under the equitable share allocation, that an amount of R116 million has been set aside for the following staff accommodation: 60 two-bedroom flats; 102 bachelor flats; and 60 single rooms. "This will go a long way towards alleviating accommodation problems and assist us to recruit more professionals. As an addition to the 11 emergency medical service stations embarked upon over the last two financial years, seven additional stations will be established this year," said Sekoati.