A formatting error has been blamed by the Southern District Health Board after it inadvertently released its projected annual deficit.
The figure of $39.7million was included in a finance report, but was removed from the board's website after the Otago Daily Times asked about it this week.
The board was sacked in June and replaced by a commissioner.
At that stage, it was thought the shortfall could be as high as $42million. Commissioner Kathy Grant said the board was still working through the approval process for its annual budget with the Ministry of Health, and the deficit was unconfirmed.
She confirmed $39.7million was the working deficit figure.
Chief executive Carole Heatly said in a statement the financial paper had been posted on the website in the ''incorrect format''.
