Mohale FM MANY service providers contracted under the Ministry of Health’s Maintenance Project Implementation Unit (MHPIU) have decried prolonged non-payment by government, saying the delays are crippling their businesses and putting patients’ lives at risk.
Service providers across several categories— including emergency transport, security, catering, laundry and cleaning, maintenance, and mortuary services, said they have gone for up to eight months without payment.
They say the situation has pushed many companies to the brink of collapse.
The financial strain has had direct consequences for healthcare delivery, particularly emergency transport services, where lack of funds has reportedly led to avoidable deaths.
Providers say they are forced to borrow money to fuel ambulances and pay staff before responding to emergencies. Uncertainty remains over when the outstanding payments will be settled.
The provider said the lack of funds has ex posed patients to serious risks, recounting incidents where critical delays proved fatal.
A letter dated 4 December 2025 from MHPIU Project Manager, Sello Sefali, offered an apology but no clear timeline.
