Govt takes over TB hospitals
2005-03-24 15:04
Cape Town - The Eastern Cape health department has absorbed eight Santa hospitals operating in the province into the public health services, said the department on Thursday.
According to Sizwe Kupelo of the health department, eight TB hospitals: Grahamstown, Uitenhage, Port Elizabeth, Matatiele, Port Alfred, Graaff-Reinet, East London and Fort Beaufort - would be runned and managed by the department at a cost of R54.8m with effect from April 1 this year.
Kupelo said that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between the SA National Tuberculosis Association and the health department, where issues around assets had been dealt with.
Kupelo said: "About 500 staff members of Santa hospitals have been absorbed and have already been placed on the government Persal system.
This would ensure the smooth running of the hospitals when the department takes over next month."
He said health MEC, Monwabisi Goqwana, would outline details of the move next week.
- SAPA