GAUTENG public hospitals have a communication crisis as phones are not working due to unpaid bills.
Out of 360 clinics, only 83 are affected, including 32 hospitals, with Chris Hani Bara Academic Hospital among those.
Gauteng Health confirmed on Monday, 26 February, stating that lines are currently off due to payment queries lodged on the invoices submitted by the service provider.
“Unfortunately, we have had several discrepancies where Telkom would send invoices which have descriptions of facilities that don't belong to GDoH [Gauteng Department of Health], which made it impossible to promptly settle them.
“The service provider was requested to make corrections,” Gauteng Health spokesman Motalatale Modiba said.
He added that the department has activated alternative contact numbers for several of its facilities whose normal Telkom lines are currently off and that measures to settle payments have begun.
To date, the department has paid R4 million, with an additional R3,4 million released on Monday, 26 February.
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However, Modiba said there was an outstanding amount that needs to be verified.
He said the department was migrating its facilities to the Gauteng Provincial Voice Network system operated by the eGovernment Department as a long-term solution.
According to Modiba, this will drastically reduce the costs of communication within the institutions and externally.
“Already, 130 sites have been migrated to the new system. We apologise for the inconvenience caused to the public who has been trying to contact various facilities,” he said.
But DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health Jack Bloom is not convinced that the department was doing enough to deal with the issue.
Outdated switchboards are a problem at Gauteng hospitals, he said.
“For over two weeks, patients have been unable to make enquiries or book appointments, while anxious relations can't get updates on their loved ones. Hospital staff use their personal cellphones to arrange transfers or get laboratory results.
"Why is it difficult for the department to pay its bills on time?” Bloom questioned.
He has called on Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko to intervene urgently to ensure telephone bills are setttled.
Meanwhile, the public can access contact lists published on the GDoH’s webpage by clicking here.
