Funding has dried up from sources such as the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and corporate SA HOSPICE and palliative care centres have less than half of the R1bn they need to function annually and "a fair percentage" of their 4,300 staff members are facing retrenchment.The organisations host an estimated 90,000-100,000 patients annually, and assist their relatives and community members who provide care as death approaches.Funding has dried up from sources such as the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and corporate SA which blame tough economic times for dwindling donations.According to the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund’s latest annual report, R966m was allocated to 1,995 charities between April 2013 and March this year — about 48% of the funds distributed. About 54 hospice organisations have received funding from the fund.Hospice Wits CEO Jacqui Kaye said the organisation was finding it increasingly difficult to access funding, even from trusted donors su...
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