The MEC for Health in KwaZulu-Natal, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, will unveil his vision for improving health outcomes in the province and what managers and staff are expected to do during his visit to Prince Mshiyeni Memorial hospital on Friday.
The visit follows the redeployment of four hospital chief executive officers in the eThekwini district, the advertisement of three chief executive officers' posts and the appointment of an acting chief executive officer at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial hospital.
"The most significant healthcare leadership challenge of our time: how to provide leadership for improving healthcare quality. What is clear for this government is that effective, lasting change requires innovative redesign of systems for better performance. We have committed ourselves to focusing on improving outcomes for the province’s most pressing health problems," says the MEC, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
The MEC will visit Prince Mshiyeni Memorial hospital to speak to managers, staff, labour organisations and civil society on his vision that will assist in addressing some of the pressing problems in many District Hospitals. He would, among other things speak on:
- Reprioritisation of infrastructure development so that pressure is relieved from district hospitals. This would see clinics and community health centres taking off the load from district hospitals on some of the services like deliveries and other primary healthcare services.
- Revival of District Obstetrics Support services to provide support to clinics and community health centres. This will ensure that we improve our maternal and infant mortality and morbidity rates thus saving mothers and babies.
- Strengthen partnerships with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to spread successful models broadly around HIV counselling and testing and antiretroviral therapy roll out.
- To fast track midwifery training through the support of international donor organisations, and
- Improve security systems in hospitals through retaining and proper career patching for departmental security personnel.
"Our goal is to provide safe, reliable, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient centred care," the MEC added.
Most of the department's district hospitals provide extended services due to the large catchment areas feeding the hospitals. Mahatma Gandhi and Prince Mshiyeni memorial Hospitals were built to provide district health service but due to the large populations they service, they now also provide regional health services.
This leads to a number of problems such as poor outcomes in maternal and child health, long queues, poor cleanliness and low staff morale due to work overload.
The MEC invites journalists to this momentous meeting, open to the media, to be held as follows:
Date: 16 July 2010
Time: 08h30 to 11h00
Venue: Prince Mshiyeni Memorial hospital
The media will have an opportunity to ask questions after the MEC's address.
Contact:
Chris Maxon
Cell: 083 285 0567
