Pretoria - The Gauteng Health Department has reassured NGOs that render services to the department that they will get money owed to them on Thursday.
Department spokesperson Simon Zwane said although some NGOs were paid last week, others did not get the money due to them because of technical problems experienced with the payment run.
"An amount of R63 million is scheduled to be released tomorrow. The department is doing everything possible to ensure that all obstacles to payments are removed and that the money is released immediately.
"NGOs are our important partners in service delivery and we are committed to ensuring that they do not experience obstacles in their endeavors to assist in the care for the vulnerable members of our society," Zwane said.
The NGOs form part of the 2 600 suppliers that have been prioritised for payment in this period. Most of the NGOs render mental health care services.
The Gauteng Health Department said it had settled in full all debts owed to medical suppliers for 2011 and was now moving full speed to implement a turnaround strategy at its medical depot.
"A total sum of R874 million was paid to medical suppliers last week, settling all outstanding accruals from 2011. The provincial MEC for Health and Social Development, Ntombi Megwe, has instructed that all efforts be made to improve drug stock holding in the province from the current six weeks to three months," Zwane said.
The department also announced that efforts were underway to improve controls on the distribution of medicines from the supply depot to hospitals and clinics.
"A review of the business model of the medical supply depot has commenced as part of the turnaround strategy. The review is a 12-month project that has been introduced to increase patients' access to medicine, improve warehousing and establish ICT systems at regional pharmacies.
"A provincial pharmaceutical and therapeutic committee of experts has been established to monitor and ensure rational use of medicines. The committee will also interrogate scientific evidence for protocols, assist in ensuring the availability of essential drugs and advise the department of drug related matters," Zwane said.
