The DA is probing reports that the Limpopo Department of Health (LDoH) is paying R1 million per day to scan and digitise files.
In March 2020, the LDoH awarded a contract to a service provider, Veritas Digital, to scan, archive and store inactive records from Limpopo’s hospitals and clinics for a period of 60 months. The LDoH failed to disclose the monetary value awarded to the tender to the portfolio committee on health. Yet, according to recent media reports, the LDoH has been forking out an exorbitant amount of R1 million per day to this service provider.
This department has contingent liabilities in excess of R14 billion that stem from medico-legal cases against it. The loss of patient records is one of the main factors related to the root causes of the high rate of litigation and the digitisation of these records is therefore paramount. However, the amount of R1 million a day is unfathomable and completely unacceptable.
Furthermore, the department utilises about 70% of its budget on compensating employees and leaves very little resources for services. Every cent must be used wisely to prevent the province’s ailing health system from collapsing.
The MEC of Health in Limpopo, Phophi Ramathuba, together with her senior management, must appear before the portfolio committee and provide all relevant details around the appointment of Veritas Digital and the exact monetary value. She must also account for their daily operations. We have written to the committee chairperson, Joshua Matlou, to expedite the matter. (View here).
We will also submit Parliamentary Questions to obtain all relevant information in the awarding of the contract.