Ombudsman Stephen Tiroyakgosi says he will brief the nation on the Ministry of Health’s response once government commitments have been consolidated.
GAZETTE REPORTER
Ombudsman Stephen Tiroyakgosi says he will soon brief the nation on the government’s response to the health crisis, once all commitments from the Ministry of Health have been consolidated, outlining immediate interventions undertaken and progress made in implementing key recommendations.
Since the release of the report, public anger over the state of healthcare delivery has persisted, with patients increasingly reporting that they are being forced to buy their own medication and essential medical supplies, underscoring continuing pressure and shortages within public health facilities despite repeated assurances of improvement.
NATIONAL BRIEFING
“I intend to brief the nation through the media in the near future once all commitments from the Ministry of Health have been consolidated, and will outline immediate interventions undertaken as well as progress made in implementing key recommendations aimed at addressing a health system under severe strain,” he said in an interview with this publication.
The planned briefing comes in the wake of a six month investigation that uncovered widespread deficiencies in the public health system, including deteriorating facility conditions, staffing shortages and inefficiencies in resource management.
THE REPORT
The report painted a stark picture of strain across the sector, highlighting inhumane conditions in some facilities, outdated and frequently unreliable ambulance fleets, and laboratories that fall short of required safety and maintenance standards.
It further pointed to serious inconsistencies in medicine supply chains, where Central Medical Stores recorded high availability levels on paper, at times as high as 97 percent, while health facilities reported receiving only a fraction of their orders, estimated at between 25 and 30 percent in some cases.
FINANCIAL PRESSURES
The investigation also flagged significant financial pressures within the system, including P283 million spent between 2021 and 2025 on training specialist medical personnel, many of whom reportedly left the public sector shortly after qualifying.
In addition, the report noted that 809 patients were referred to private facilities during the current financial year alone, costing the State about P300 million, equivalent to roughly P6 million per week in outsourced care.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Among its 36 recommendations, the Ombudsman’s office called for urgent acceleration of recruitment processes to fill critical staffing gaps, alongside a strategic shift towards retaining specialist skills within the public health system.
It also urged government to redirect funds currently spent on external referrals towards strengthening in house capacity and improving access to specialised care within public hospitals.