MEC Brian Hlongwa on the state of the province Address by Gauteng Premier

20 FEBRUARY 2008

The Premier underscored the progress we have made as government in executing our mandate since June 2004.The four pillars of improving the Quality of Health Care remain key to our approach to improving the health status of the people of Gauteng .These pillars are:

•  Prevention of Illnesses

•  Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles

•  Curative approach to diseases; and

•  Rehabilitation

Since we launched the Community Health Worker program we have trained and deployed 3 500 of these health cadres among our people. This year we will train an additional 1000 in order to ensure that our communities continue to have access to the Department's programmes on prevention of disease, health promotion and care for those in need.

We will intensify health promotion initiatives in schools. These will include:

• Identification and intervention where learners experience learning difficulties due to poor eyesight, hearing and dental problems. The number of schools that have been targeted are:
• 108 on the West Rand
  
• 254 in Tshwane
  
• 43 in Metsweding
  
• 171 in Sedibeng
  
• 381 in Ekurhuleni
  
• 365 in Johannesburg
  
• We will extend the "Know Your Health Status" campaign throughout the province. This campaign is aimed at promoting regular testing for HIV, Diabetes, Hyper tension, and Oral Hygiene. This campaign will be taken to where people live.

A b asket of these services will be available in order to ensure that health programmes are interlinked and relevant to the health needs of our people.

Human resources are the backbone of our health system. For this reason we will continue to focus on recruiting, training and retention of our health professionals.

In order to accelerate the training programme for nurses we will reopen two nursing colleges, namely, Bona Lesedi at Leratong Hospital , and Coronation Nursing College this year.

Renovations at these two colleges are nearing completion, and will accommodate basic and post basic nurse training respectively. Two hundred basic nursing students per year will commence training at Bona Lesedi as from this year. Until 2009 Bona Lesedi will be utilised for the basic nursing training.

Approximately 350 Post Basic Students will train at Coronation Nursing College once it is reopened. This college will accommodate a maximum of 500 Students.

Next month we will host a Human Resource Indaba for Health with a view to address challenges faced by the health sector. All categories of health workers, Health Human Resource experts and our strategic partners will participate in this event.

A total of 17 136 nurses of various categories have benefited from the Occupation Specific Dispensation. This dispensation will not only improve the salary packages of the nurses, but will also address career pathing and encourage their retention in the clinical areas.

In order to increase access to Primary Health Care Services the following clinics will be officially opened this year:

• Phedisong 4 Clinic in Garankuwa
  
• Mandela-Sisulu Clinic in Phefeni, Soweto
  
• Bristlecone Clinic in Orange Farm
  
• Johan Deo Clinic in Sedibeng
  
• Eersterus Community Health Centre
  
• Dark City Clinic in Ekangala

We will also open the new Mamelodi Hospital which is built on the same premises as the current hospital. The new hospital will have 250 beds. The current one has 90.

Pertaining to the Comprehensive Care, Management and Treatment of HIV and AIDS, we will embark on the following:

• We will introduce multiple therapy for Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in pregnant women at the beginning of March 2008.
  
• By the end of March this year, Anti-Retroviral therapy will be available at 55 service sites.
  
• The people of Soshanguve and surrounding areas will no longer have to travel to Dr George Mukhari to access Anti- Retroviral Therapy. Plans are at an advanced stage to provide this service at the Soshanguve 3 Community Health Centre located next to Soshanguve Railway Station.
  
•   Over and above this we will increase these sites with an additional seven by the end of the financial year. These will include Soshanguve CHC Block BB in Tshwane, Eric Ndleleni Clinic on the West Rand and Devon Clinic in Sedibeng.

We will continue with our efforts to fight the scourge of Tuberculosis (TB). We will intensify social mobilisation programmes to decrease the TB infection rate and improve the TB cure rate. We have upgraded Sizwe Hospital to a specialist health facility that is dedicated for the treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant and Extreme - Drug Resistant TB.  

On security, we have completed an audit aimed at identifying risks at health facilities. Procurement of security services, including security technology and other security measures have been undertaken at Chris Hani Baragwanath, Dr George Mukhari and Johannesburg Hospitals, and should be in place by next month.

Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in particular has procured additional security teams while awaiting the implementation measures in accordance with new norms and standards.

With regard to Emergency Medical Services the Department will be appointing a total of 937 new staff, of which 830 will be Emergency Care Practitioners at Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Life Support levels.

A total of 173 new vehicles have been ordered to replace vehicles that have reached the end of their lifespan and to expand the planned patient transport service. In addition the Department will be implementing pilot projects with regard to the transportation of wheelchair bound patients, a Dedicated Cardiac Ambulance and Mobile Critical Care Units.

Finally ladies and gentlemen I am pleased to report that we have started piloting the smart card technology in our health facilities, and we are confident that this system will reduce waiting times, improve the quality of health care in general and improve the health information and electronic record system.

We plan to roll it out to 30% of health facilities by the end of the year. We will start with clinics progressing to Community Health Centres and hospitals.

Other measures that are aimed at improving health services in Gauteng will be outlined in the Budget Speech that I will deliver in June this year.

Thank you.