The Gauteng Department of Health, which has battled this year to ensure patients are fed adequately, has now contracted out-of-town companies to supply food to hospitals – most of them from Limpopo, and with construction, plant hire, IT companies and guest houses being included on the supplier list, notes Medicalbrief.
With 26 out of 34 hospitals experiencing food shortages this year, the province had decided to scrap the single supplier model for food supply, as a response to the crisis, writes Thabo Molelekwa for Spotlight. But a cursory look at the list of contractors – mainly in Limpopo – shows that the core business of many is not to supply food.
Most list their description of services as being to supply “frozen fish, eggs, chicken and dairy products”. Many share the same address.
The Gauteng Department of Health did not respond to a question on whether they were aware that some of the food suppliers are construction companies.
The DA’s Gauteng shadow health minister Jack Bloom called for an immediate halt to the contract and “an urgent investigation into who authorised it and who benefits from it”.
‘Nothing untoward’
Bloom’s statement referred to an answer from Gauteng MEC for Health & Wellness Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in the provincial legislature.
Asked what the “assessed need” was to participate in the Limpopo contract, the MEC responded: “The department experienced a shortage of food provisions due to suppliers awarded contracts via the request for quotation (RFQ) process not being in a position to deliver.” She said the department will continue to participate in the Limpopo contract until the department has finalised its own contract.
At the time (30 October 2023), the MEC said just more than R23.6m had been spent by the Gauteng Department of Health on the Limpopo contract.
Gauteng Health has denied in media reports that there is anything untoward about the arrangement.
“The Limpopo Department of Health has conducted a competitive bidding process in compliance with procurement regulations to appoint these suppliers…their process was audited by the Auditor-General and found to be compliant,” Health spokesperson Motaletale Modiba said last week.
Spotlight has attempted to verify this with the Auditor-General but had received no response by the time of publication.
Several further questions were sent to Gauteng Health about the Limpopo contract, their participation in the contract, and the department’s plans for ensuring a reliable food supply.
Modiba did not provide responses, but sent a document with the responses the MEC gave to questions posed in the legislature.
Why no local companies?
Bloom argued that it was not possible that the department could not find local companies to supply products like bread and eggs to hospitals.
He said he was also concerned about the extra transport costs that come with delivering food from Limpopo to Gauteng.
“Competent people are needed at all levels to ensure the required food is always supplied by reliable contractors who are paid in good time. Hospital management should be empowered to manage food contracts, with prompt payment in all cases,” he said.
Sidewell Mbasa, provincial chairperson of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), echoed Bloom’s views. “There are a lot of capable and reputable companies that can provide a better service.”
When asked in the legislature why the provincial Health Department had not contracted Gauteng-based companies to supply food, Nkomo-Ralehoko only said: “The department currently does not have a contract as it is in the process of establishing a contract for the provision of food.”
Suspicions of corruption
Rich Sicina, president of the Health and Allied Workers Indaba Trade Union, said they viewed the affair as a continuation of corruption in the department. “It’s the continuation of looting taxpayers’ money, looting state funds,” he said.
“We are very worried, it’s demotivating to watch this happening in front of our eyes. People are dying in our hospitals; we have situations where we go days without food. And as a result, healthcare workers, we nurses in particular, even go as far as hitting our own pockets to buy food for patients because obviously you cannot give medication to patients on empty stomachs.”
Bongani Mazibuko, provincial secretary of Denosa, said they were frustrated – in most cases – by the decisions made by the department.
He said the union had previously engaged with the department on similar issues, which were a direct result of a lack of consequence management. He said people who were not doing their jobs should be held to account.
A ‘delicate ecosystem’
Dr Mvuyisi Mzukwa, chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), said food supply shortages in hospitals could have a profound impact on staff when they treat hungry patients. “Any disruption to this ecosystem affects multiple aspects of the health system,” he said.
Strong governance was characterised by appropriate investment and prioritisation of scarce resources to ensure equity and improved health outcomes, he added.
“Challenges with food supply at public hospitals are directly related to a failure in leadership and governance. We are reminded that there is a very complex and dynamic interaction that exists between health providers, healthcare users and decision-makers.”
Healthcare workers not to blame
Rachel Moore, specialist surgeon and representative of the Progressive Health Forum, said the fact that there had been so many failures on the department’s part, without any visible repercussions for those responsible, meant there was widespread, profound mistrust of the processes that should be in place to address any issues (including food shortages in hospitals).
This was yet another symptom of the dysfunction that is a hallmark of the Gauteng Department of Health, she added.
“Awarding contracts and honouring the payment of suppliers are fairly basic processes, so the failure thereof simply reflects the gross ineptitude of those who have been tasked with ensuring the delivery of healthcare to the people of Gauteng.”
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Gauteng Health opts for multiple suppliers to address food shortages
Contract chaos blamed for hospitals food shortages
Bara borrows food to address critical shortages
‘Corruption mafia’ claimed to be manipulating hospital tenders