Acting Director General, Dr Percy Mahlathi
Members of the media
Good morning
First and foremost, I am humbled by the confidence displayed in me by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Mr Jacob Zuma by appointing me into this challenging office.
I am under no false impressions that the task lying ahead will be easy. We are calling this press conference at the time that the president has ordered all of us to hit the ground running. For this reason the media and general public is eagerly waiting to hear how we are going to do this. I am aware that you are waiting to hear what the department says.
In the recent weeks there have been quite a number of statements about collapsing public health service in the country. This idea of collapsing public health that is so serious that we have gathered from some of the weekend newspapers that one provincial MEC has been given the health portfolio as a punishment because in being given the health portfolio he is being set up for failure as a leader. I am not sure if that applies to me as well. We don't know what to make of all this.
However, what we do know is that we, in the ruling party, have long realised and acknowledged the difficulties that the health system, especially public health, is going through. To this end in the all important conference of the ruling party held in Limpopo in December 2007 we adopted a resolution that health and education are the top priority for the next five years and beyond.
Prior to December 2007 within the ruling party and government, health and education were just part of the social cluster together with many other departments. However, in compliance to this resolution which brought a new status to health and education a new committee within the African National Congress (ANC) National Executive Committee (NEC), called health and education was formed and is headed by Dr Zweli Mkhize, a member of the NEC. I have been a member of this committee since then.
This committee started work in January 2008 and has been working around the clock consulting various experts and stakeholders. These have been one of the most active committees. It came up with what is called the health road map, which identified all problems and experience prior to 1994 and after, with proposed possible solutions. This process culminated into what is famously known as the 10 point plan which is a set of principles that will turn the health system around. It is from this manifesto and other relevant plans and ideas including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that this department will shape its plans and programs.
My experience in government and the interaction I have had with officials from DOH and some stakeholders has led me to arrive at the following conclusion:
Whether it is a municipality, provincial government or national government, throughout any government department, the main challenge that led to problems, protest and various forms of discontent pointing to several weaknesses in government can be classified in four areas.
1. Financial management.
2. Infrastructure / engineering services or what is referred to as technical services in the case of municipalities
3. Human Resource Management and Development
4. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) / Information Technology (IT).
I believe that all the problems and areas of weaknesses originate from or can be traced back to these four areas. From the briefing I have received I have come to the conclusion that these four areas should be the main points of focus within the Department of Health (DOH). But, in addition and as different from all other departments, I would like to add specifically for the DOH the fifth factor.
5. Quality of Care.
In pursuing our approach to the health system as defined by these five areas of focus, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Manifesto of the ruling party and other plans, we as a department have decided that the following command our immediate attention:
* within the next two weeks we shall officially launch the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) Acceleration Plan, this will help us to achieve the Health millennium development goals which include maternal mortality, infant mortality and combating HIV and AIDS, Malaria and TB amongst others
* within the next two weeks, we will put up a team that will deal with norms and standards between national, provincial and district heath systems. This is to curb the tendency of federal approach towards the health system which has slowly but surely creped into the system
* I will need to call a meeting of provincial health MECs which will come up with cost containment to curb the problem of overspending. We will endeavour to do this without compromising the Quality of Care and Services due to the public.
* to consult urgently with my counterparts within the inter-ministerial committee, to speedily resolve issues around Occupation Specific Dispensation (OSD).
To this end I want to make it clear that the issue of whether doctors and other health professional are underpaid or not, is not to be debate, their remuneration does not satisfy us as well. Indeed it is one of the reasons that compelled the ruling party to prioritise health and education. The issue under debate is when and how do we solve this problem. However, as a doctor myself, I wish to assure my colleagues out there that I understand what they going through because I personally have gone through it. In fact the problem far predates 1994.
However, if I may speak in their language I would like to remind them that when a wound has gone septic, the healing process will be a lengthy and laborious one unlike a fresh wound which can be easily sutured and done with. In short the remuneration of health professionals is not going to be an event but a process which will take a longer time until we reach where we want to be.
In conclusion I wish to inform you I should have left for Geneva in Switzerland, to attend the WHA from 14 May 2009 to lead the South Africa delegation as well South African Development Community (SADC). But because of the urgency of what I have outlined above I have opted to stay behind and instead I have requested the Deputy Minister and the Director-General to represent me. That is why they are not with us today.
The mainstay of our approach in the ruling party is that we will work together with all key sectors in our society through a social compact to continue to transform the health care system. To this end I will be meeting various stake holders formally and informally to take these issues forward.
I wish to thank every body for attending this press conference and for listening to us.
Kea leboga.
Thank you very much.
Issued by: Department of Health
18 May 2009
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
