Gauteng Health spends R30m on linen

Gauteng Health spokesperson Simon Zwane said the department has over the past year faced an acute shortage of linen, including bed linen, doctors' linen for theatres, patient clothing and other protective clothing control linen.

The department has started the Gauteng Provincial Government linen bank.

"The department moved to urgently invest up to R30m in linen purchases from various providers, including women's co-operatives, the Department of Labour and other local companies.

"To date, over R10m has been spent towards replenishing linen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital as well as R3.3m and R4.3m for the new Zola /Jabulani and Natalspruit Hospitals, respectively.

"As a medium- to long-term solution, the provincial budget council approved the establishment of a linen bank as a means to improve its linen management," said Zwane.

The department was also instructed to move from the old order RSA/TPA stamped-linen and introduce a new, high quality Gauteng Provincial Government branding on the linen.

As a starting point, about 95,000 pieces of linen (representing just under 10%) have been ordered as an initial capital input for the linen stock for public health facilities in Gauteng.

An additional 90% is currently out on tender for delivery over the medium term expenditure framework (MTEF) period. The department has already taken delivery of 99% of the bed linen stock. Delivery of the rest of the ordered stock is expected in the before the end of the year.