The North West Department of Health has appealed to members of the public to comply with hospital debt obligations following reports that residents in Mahikeng have received SMS notifications regarding outstanding balances from Mahikeng Provincial Hospital.
Speaking during an exclusive interview on YOU FM Newshour on Thursday, the department’s Director of Communications, Tebogo Lekgethwane, said the requests for payment are based on commitments made by patients when accessing healthcare services and are determined according to affordability criteria.
Lekgethwane emphasised that the department is guided by national regulations outlined in the Health Act, which prescribes a minimum fee payable by patients. He said the fee schedule is issued annually and provinces are required to implement it.
“We don’t require this payment because we are desperate for funds. We are guided by the national regulations of the Health Act. There is a minimum fee that patients are required to pay and the schedule is issued every year. As a province, we are required to adhere to that,” he said.
While acknowledging that there are currently no enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure compliance, Lekgethwane said the department will continue sending SMS reminders to patients with outstanding accounts.
Addressing the department’s financial constraints, Lekgethwane noted that the health budget remains insufficient to meet the demands of a growing population in the province.
“You would find that the entire budget of the North West is equivalent to the budget of one district in Gauteng. Even though there is an increase on paper, it is not enough to cover the growing population and the rate at which infections and diseases spread,” he added.
Lekgethwane called on the public to work with the department by complying with regulations at public healthcare facilities across the province.
