Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Star (Johannesburg) (12.11.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Louise Flanagan
Early in November, Health Minister Barbara Hogan ordered that 9.5 million rand (US $928,391) be provided to the province to pay for ARVs after patients began complaining they were being turned away from government health care facilities. She also sent a team from her ministry to assess the situation.
On Nov. 25, the South African Press Association reported that the provincial Health Department introduced cost-containment measures for 31 hospitals, including postponing all routine non-emergency surgeries until the end of January.
A Free State physician on Dec. 9 said instruction from the Health Department at that time was to delay ARV treatment. "Unfortunately we are not allowed to start patients on ARVs due to the financial problems of the province," he wrote.
The national and provincial treasuries and departments of health met in Bloemfontein on Dec. 10 to discuss the crisis. "We can confirm that there are challenges within the Free State's Department of Health, but, as government, we are committed to finding lasting and positive solutions to this problem," said Howard Ndaba, a spokesperson for the provincial treasury.
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