Health Budget: Committee Report

Meeting report

The Chairperson made brief opening remarks on house rules, and the apologies were announced.

Budget Vote Report of the Portfolio Committee on Health

The Chairperson briefly took the Committee through what was contained in the report and highlighted the various sections. He suggested that more time should be spent on the recommendations, as the Committee should already have read the report.

[Refer to Report for more details]

The Committee welcomed the comprehensive report it received.

Discussion 

Ms A Gela (ANC) said that the report was a job well done and was quite comprehensive. The recommendations are in order. Her concerns about Programme 2.5, on non-communicable and communicable diseases such as TB and issues relating to sterilisation, were addressed. She said the Committee should regularly assess the progress of programmes as well as their implementation. She moved for the adoption of the report. 

Ms N Chirwa (EFF) said that the Committee and the entities did not always have an understanding. There are issues that were not duly answered such as issues relating to racism and Mpho Seleke with the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS). The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) also promised the Committee to do an investigation on surgical masks over a year ago, but this was never done. SAHPRA has also not addressed intervention measures following the leaking of the Pfizer document on the adverse effects of vaccines. The answers to these have not been captured in the report, whereas this is very important. The NDOH did not commit to anything on sterilisation or on taking care of women despite that the fact that this was agreed to in Durban. More than a year later, the issue still persists and many women have been turned away and denied specialist treatment. There is a lack of accuracy in how the current circumstances have been presented. There is blatant negligence and dishonouring of the Committee on the work it is supposed to be doing.

Mr P Van Staden (FF+) said that many complaints were raised, and whether these complaints were receiving enough attention from the relevant individuals was questionable. He said that the FF+ would make its decision on the report in a caucus that would be held the following day.

Ms E Wilson (DA) said that the DA would also comment on the report after presenting it to its caucus the following day.

Mr T Munyai (ANC) said that the report was detailed and quite comprehensive, covering all issues raised. He added that Members should always remember that recommendations would be considered by the Department. He agreed with Ms Gela for the Committee to adopt the report. He fully supported the report and commented that it spoke to all collectives and reflected not only the ANC’s views but also those of the forces opposed to progressive change. He said that the Committee’s recommendations would not escape oversight until implementation.

Ms M Hlengwa (IFP) welcomed and supported the report, and thanked the support staff of the Committee for their work in compiling the report.

The Chairperson thanked Members for their input and asked if any other Members wanted to contribute to the discussion, as they could not be silent on it.

Mr E Siwela (ANC) indicated that he supported the report and was satisfied with its contents.

Ms X Havard (ANC) said that she fully supported the report.

The Chairperson noted a message from Dr S Thembekwayo (EFF), which indicated that the EFF did not support the Budget Vote. He also noted the FF+, DA’s and ANC’s earlier comments. The Chairperson noted a recommendation that the Committee receive a report on the recommendations it had made from the Minister within three months.

The report was adopted. 

Consideration and adoption of meeting minutes

The Committee considered and adopted its minutes of 29 and 30 March, 14, 19 and 20 April 2022.

Committee programme

The Chairperson raised issues relating to the Committee conducting an oversight visit in KZN and with the NHLS. He suggested that oversight be conducted at the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) and SAHPRA at the same time. He said there was a suggestion to visit Livingstone Hospital and a request for a joint portfolio committee meeting with the Portfolio Committees on Appropriations, Finance, Employment and Labour, Mineral Resources and Energy, and Justice, on the trust that was created for the benefit of ex mineworkers – which is being driven by the ex-Mineworkers Association of South Africa. The Committee had made a commitment that it would write to the CMS on Section 59. He wanted to add another point on the medico-legal claims that should be suggested in the report given the large number of claims that have been lodged in South Africa.

On 25 May, the Committee would receive a visit from elders.

The Committee agreed to do its oversight visit to KZN on 13 and 14 May 2022.

The meeting was adjourned.