Excise the cancer ruining the health department

Since the Life Esidimeni saga, the Gauteng department of health has limped from scandal to scandal.

The deaths of more than 140 psychiatric patients in an ill-advised, poorly planned and compassionless plan aimed at saving the flailing department some money has seen two separate investigations into what happened. Now Premier David Makhura has implemented a special task team to overhaul the entire provincial health system.

Anyone who has visited a government hospital in Gauteng will know that it's a system in ICU. In a year in which some countries are considering flying cars, this country's largest healthcare system still operates with cardboard patient files reminiscent of the 1980s.

A visit to a government hospital still means taking a full day off work to access care and get medication as lengthy queues and outdated systems converge.

The health department has a massive debt backlog, owing suppliers R4-billion in the 2016/2017 financial year. With more than R2-billion in irregular expenditure identified by the auditor-general in that same year, it is clear urgent intervention is needed.

The task team will focus on human resources, procurement and financial planning as well as maintenance. However, as the Life Esidimeni hearings show, there is a serious need for strong, people-focused management to take the continent's largest health department into the 21st century while competently providing healthcare.

If the Gauteng health department retains managers like Makgabo Manamela in charge of key areas it will undo the work of the task team. Manamela's testimony painted a picture of the worst type of public servant - someone who did not see herself as accountable to the public she serves.

Along with looking at spending and staff shortages, the team of experts must be equipped with a scalpel to allow it to cut out cancerous leaders like Manamela who do not realise their mandate is to serve the people, first.