If the KZN health department does not have its budget increased by R1.6 billion on the existing R28 billion it is allocated, elective procedures may need to be put on hold and state hospitals may only provide emergency services, reports The Witness.

“In the event the department received the funds, Zungu said, it would contain costs and use limited resources effectively, strengthen tender processes and identify savings, prevent fraud and corruption and ensure optimal use of its employees. But, if no funding was received, there would be no new employees except for critical posts, there would be delays in infrastructure projects that are under way and they would have to defer the decision to acquire new equipment and vehicles.”

The department argues that if it receives additional funding, it would be able to identify savings, contain costs, and use resources effectively. However, the most certain way of forcing the department to identify savings, contain costs and use resources more effectively is to CUT its funding, not give it more money to blow.

This is a vision of what’s to come if government goes ahead with the national health scheme. The more government control of the sector grows, the less services will be provided to the public at ever increasing prices.