Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has called for more emphasis to be placed on primary healthcare (PHC) as part of reducing the huge burden of disease the country is faced with. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of 40 students as part of South Africa-Cuba health agreement at the University of Cape Town this morning, the health minister expressed his concern with the curative nature of the South Africa's healthcare system describing it is hugely expensive and unsustainable.
"As a country we just have to go back to the basics of primary healthcare. We have to prevent diseases even before they occur. We have to act now", said Motsoaledi.
South Africa is one of the countries in the world with huge maternal and infant mortality complicated further by HIV and AIDS. The minister also announced that his department will table before Parliament this year a Bill that will establish an independent Office of Standards Compliance that will enforce compliance with set standards in the country's public hospitals.
"The quality of care in our hospitals is extremely worrying. Every day we hear sad stories of people not being well-taken care of in our hospitals. Once established, this office will ensure that all our healthcare facilities comply with a set of standards around quality so that our hospitals become places where people find love and compassion," said the health minister.
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