On the 10th February 2010, 34 of the Aberdeen Hospital staff were informed by the Manager of the Aberdeen Hospital Mr Bertram Vanga, together with Mr Hugo Saaiman, Chairperson of the Hospital Board, that the Aberdeen Hospital would be unable to pay their salaries on the 15th of February 2010.
The Hospital staff were informed that the budget did not stretch to paying wages and that there was also no guarantee that payment of wages would be made to the staff in March either.
According to staff members, the Branch Manager for Graaff-Reinet Mr P. Koeberg was approached for assistance, as was the M.P.L. Mr L. Pikinini.
On Friday 12th February, the Hospital staff persuaded Mr Vanga to write a letter on their behalf to the M.E.C. for the Eastern Cape Health Services. This letter was taken by a union representative of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union to the Department of Health in Bisho.
All 34 of the hospital staff are in impossible circumstances. They are angry at the delay in management informing them of the hospital’s financial position. Their electricity accounts have to be paid by the 16th of the month. If the electricity is ‘cut off’ there will be an R180 reconnection fee, plus interest charged on overdue accounts. Rentals and bonds have to be paid. School fees are due for payment, food, petrol, and general everyday living expenses have to be met.
Staff members who are off sick or are on leave, have still not been informed of their plight by the hospital management.
In spite of their appalling circumstances, the hospital staff continues to work giving care to hospital patients and those outpatients in need. It is impossible to say how long this situation can continue.
In an interview given by an extremely concerned Mr Bertram Vanga, he explained how the Department of Health had approved his budget for the financial year which was R9.9 million in total. The Aberdeen Hospital was then given R5.7million of their original approved budget, of which they were told that R1.4 million would be given quarterly. Mr Vanga wrote to the Department explaining that this would not be sufficient on which to pay salaries.
The Hospital staff were informed that the budget did not stretch to paying wages and that there was also no guarantee that payment of wages would be made to the staff in March either.
According to staff members, the Branch Manager for Graaff-Reinet Mr P. Koeberg was approached for assistance, as was the M.P.L. Mr L. Pikinini.
On Friday 12th February, the Hospital staff persuaded Mr Vanga to write a letter on their behalf to the M.E.C. for the Eastern Cape Health Services. This letter was taken by a union representative of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union to the Department of Health in Bisho.
All 34 of the hospital staff are in impossible circumstances. They are angry at the delay in management informing them of the hospital’s financial position. Their electricity accounts have to be paid by the 16th of the month. If the electricity is ‘cut off’ there will be an R180 reconnection fee, plus interest charged on overdue accounts. Rentals and bonds have to be paid. School fees are due for payment, food, petrol, and general everyday living expenses have to be met.
Staff members who are off sick or are on leave, have still not been informed of their plight by the hospital management.
In spite of their appalling circumstances, the hospital staff continues to work giving care to hospital patients and those outpatients in need. It is impossible to say how long this situation can continue.
In an interview given by an extremely concerned Mr Bertram Vanga, he explained how the Department of Health had approved his budget for the financial year which was R9.9 million in total. The Aberdeen Hospital was then given R5.7million of their original approved budget, of which they were told that R1.4 million would be given quarterly. Mr Vanga wrote to the Department explaining that this would not be sufficient on which to pay salaries.
Letters were written to The Director of Hospital Services in Bisho Mrs Nyikana specifying and tabulating the shortfall. Finance was promised, but was not made available to the Hospital. At all the Budget meetings during the course of the year, the shortfall was explained in detail but no finance was forthcoming. On 28th January 2010, Mr Vanga wrote and emailed another letter to The Director of Hospital Services tabulating all expenses, attaching the original budget and all correspondence that he had sent to that Department, requesting R2.3 million in order to cover hospital expenses and wages. He has as yet received no acknowledgement or response to this letter or to his frequent phone calls.
Mr Vanga has also requested that the Department of Health send an auditor should it assist him in receiving the full hospital budget.
According to Mr Mzana, Deputy to Mrs Nyikana, the letter written to her was taken to the Superintendent General Doctor S. Pillay on the 10th February.
Mr Vanga feels that the position that Aberdeen Hospital is in is due to the Department of Health allocating its own budget and not taking into account the tabulated budget given to them.
Mr Vanga said that he only expects a payment of R1.5 million in April which will not cover wages or outstanding expenses.
Mr Vanga has had to take loans from both Willowmore and Adelaide Hospitals, who are now requesting these outstanding amounts to be repaid.
As one of the Hospital Board Directors confirmed, the Aberdeen Hospital is a Provincial Aided Hospital. 90% of the funds are provided by Government and 10% are supposed to come from the community. As Aberdeen is possibly the poorest town in the Eastern Province, collecting funds from the community is an impossible task which faces the Aberdeen Hospital Board.
The Hospital Board has expressed their willingness to be taken over by the Province which would give them full funding and a meeting was arranged to take place in November 2009 for this purpose. This meeting was postponed until 15th January 2010. This meeting was then further postponed and then postponed indefinitely. It had been hoped that the Aberdeen Hospital would be taken over by the Province by the 1st April 2010.
Mr Vanga said that everybody at the Hospital was affected, and that he sincerely hoped that assistance would be forthcoming.
Mr Vanga has also requested that the Department of Health send an auditor should it assist him in receiving the full hospital budget.
According to Mr Mzana, Deputy to Mrs Nyikana, the letter written to her was taken to the Superintendent General Doctor S. Pillay on the 10th February.
Mr Vanga feels that the position that Aberdeen Hospital is in is due to the Department of Health allocating its own budget and not taking into account the tabulated budget given to them.
Mr Vanga said that he only expects a payment of R1.5 million in April which will not cover wages or outstanding expenses.
Mr Vanga has had to take loans from both Willowmore and Adelaide Hospitals, who are now requesting these outstanding amounts to be repaid.
As one of the Hospital Board Directors confirmed, the Aberdeen Hospital is a Provincial Aided Hospital. 90% of the funds are provided by Government and 10% are supposed to come from the community. As Aberdeen is possibly the poorest town in the Eastern Province, collecting funds from the community is an impossible task which faces the Aberdeen Hospital Board.
The Hospital Board has expressed their willingness to be taken over by the Province which would give them full funding and a meeting was arranged to take place in November 2009 for this purpose. This meeting was postponed until 15th January 2010. This meeting was then further postponed and then postponed indefinitely. It had been hoped that the Aberdeen Hospital would be taken over by the Province by the 1st April 2010.
Mr Vanga said that everybody at the Hospital was affected, and that he sincerely hoped that assistance would be forthcoming.
Article By: Joan Tinker
