Chairperson of Far East Rand Hospital; Ms Makha, and members of the Board;
Local Councillors present;
Mr Abey Kgotle, External Vice President of Lonmin; and other Senior Executives from Lonmin;
Representatives of the Business Community of Springs and neighbouring towns;
Representatives of the Religious Sector;
Chief Executive Officer of Far East Rand Hospital, Dr Jan Mokgaladi; and hospital management;
Representatives of Labour; and
Ladies and Gentlemen
The policy statement that was pronounced on by the former State President, Mr Nelson Mandela, soon after his inauguration in 1994, pertained to extension of free health care to children under the age of six and pregnant and lactating women.
This policy pronouncement was a confirmation of our government’s determination to prioritize the health of our children. That is why we did not hesitate to commit ourselves to the fourth and fifth Millennium Development Goals which refer to Reduction of Child Mortality Rate and Improvement of Maternal Health by reducing the Maternal Mortality Rate.
With regard to our quest to reduction of infant and child mortality rate we implement the following programmes: Expanded Programme on Immunization, Nutrition through crèche feeding and Vitamin Are Supplementation, Growth Monitoring and Development, Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses, Kangaroo Mother Care, Perinatal Problem Identification Programme, and Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission of HIV.
With regard to our quest to improvement of maternal health, we implement the following programmes: Recommendations of the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal deaths, Ante-Natal Care services where complications of pregnancy are identified and managed, Post-Natal Care service, Contraceptive services including family planning for the prevention of unintended pregnancies, cervical and breast cancer screening, Comprehensive Care, Management and Treatment of HIV positive pregnant women.
Program Director,
It is therefore no co-incidence that we open a paediatric step-down ward at this hospital a mere two days before the whole world celebrates the life and contribution of former President Mandela to peace, justice, equality, freedom and better life for all especially children.
The increase in the catchment population (currently estimated at 2 million) that is serviced by Far East Rand Hospital was accompanied by a surge in the number of abandoned babies who were left in the care of the hospital soon after birth, owing to a variety of reasons.
This resulted in fewer beds being available for sick children. In some instances patients who initially presented with medical conditions would require longer hospitalization due to conditions such as TB Meningitis, thus needing antibiotic treatment and rehabilitation for longer periods prior to being discharged. All of these factors pointed to a need for a paediatric step-down facility at the hospital.
This was further compounded by the high number of paediatric admissions which was 937, since January this year. This figure excludes neonatal admissions which accounted for 226 since January this year.
In order provide an integrated service it was therefore necessary to provide an Overnight Facility for Mothers in order to complement the Paediatric Step-down facility. This Overnight Facility benefits poor mothers who cannot afford to travel daily to visit their sick babies in hospital.
Those who are ill also receive medical attention. These mothers will have an opportunity to breast feed their babies, thus expediting the recovery the recovery rate.
Program Director,
I emphasize breast feeding because mothers will not need to provide their own formula for infants in the children’s ward, regardless of their HIV status. Experts attest to the fact that the risk of HIV infection through breast feeding is generally overstated. Even in the absence of Anti- Retro Viral treatment, about 60% of breastfed infants born to HIV infected mothers are HIV-negative after 18-24 months of breastfeeding. With Anti-Retro Viral treatment, 98% of infants who are breastfed by HIV infected mothers for 12 months are unlikely to be infected with HIV.
Although breastfeeding initiation rates are reportedly high in South Africa, exclusive and extended breastfeeding is far from optimal.
South Africa is one of the countries with low prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding at 8% according to the 2003 Demographic and Health Survey.
A dramatic drop in exclusive breastfeeding rates was reported in the age group 4-6 months, where only 1, 5% of infants were exclusively breastfed. This is one of the lowest rates of exclusive breastfeeding in the world.
Data from the Human Sciences Research Council national survey suggests that among infants 0 to 6 months, 25,7% were reported to be exclusively breastfed whilst 51,3% were mixed fed, with solids and formula being introduced far too early in life.
The benefits of breastfeeding are well recognised for both infant and mother. Breastfeeding has profound impact on child`s survival, health, nutrition and development - and we have known this for decades. These benefits will obviously be lost when formula feeding is given.
Almost all mothers can breastfeed successfully. Only a small number of health conditions of the infant or the mother may justify recommending that she does not breastfeed temporarily or permanently.
I have deliberately belaboured the issue of breast feeding because the service we are launching today is an integrated one. Mothers cannot afford to miss an opportunity to contribute to speedy recovery of their sick babies.
We therefore express our gratitude to Lonmin for having partnered with Far East Rand Hospital to improve access to health care to uninsured mothers and babies. The fact that you have invested in health should not be misconstrued as mere expenditure.
Are healthy population is a productive population. The ripple effects of your investment in this project will impact in the productivity of your employees who will not be pre-occupied with worries about the care their partners and children will receive at this hospital.
As you will have noticed the catchment area for this hospital is growing considerably. New and informal settlements account for about 1000 000 people who expect services from this hospital, and majority of these are uninsured.
As our partners we commend you for making social compact are reality. The fact that you have contributed to bring services to the majority of citizens typifies the partnership we all aspire to. I also take this opportunity to appeal to our health workers to continue caring for those who present themselves at our health facilities when they are at their most vulnerable.
They save lives daily; they perform miracles when family members of the sick have already given up hope. I am told that in 2012 alone 6 093 babies were delivered at this hospital. There were 34 140 admissions, 84 634 out-patients, and 37 749 patients were seen at the Accident and Emergency Unit.
I am mentioning these figures so that all categories of employees must keep in mind that as a regional hospital with are budget of R299 600 000, Far East Rand renders services which require are certain level of complexity.
Far East Rand Hospital is part of the Far East Rand Health Complex with Pholosong Hospital and referring clinics. The fact that there is no District Hospital in this area means that the cluster system which includes District Health Services in the Sub-District is non-negotiable.
I have gone on record to say that we will monitor implementation of the cluster system rigorously.
Chief Executive Officer and Hospital Management;
You will recall that almost are year ago we launched are Turn-Around Strategy for the whole Department. This Turn-Around Strategy will be implemented until the end of the current term of office. This means that, it must permeate every ward, and every clinical area of the hospital.
All levels of staff must understand that it is no longer business as usual. This calls for greater involvement of nurses and clinicians in operational management processes by establishing management structures at Ward level, Clinical Department level, and General Management level.
Clinical Managers must ensure that clinicians take more responsibility and accountability for clinical decisions and the effective and efficient management and availability of resources. It is important to have reliable, up to date and credible information on each of the clinical and other comparable service units in order to make informed service delivery decisions. To this end, each and every clinical area must be a Cost Centres.
I am aware that the issue of staff shortage has been a sore point to the hospital management. We have approved a staff establishment which is in line with the category of your hospital. I trust that you have also received the confirmed budget letter which also takes into account your staffing requirements, which include Paediatric, and Obstetric and Gynaecology nurses.
The Infrastructural challenges that you have raised with central office are also receiving attention. We will prioritize the Accident and Emergency Unit.
Therefore, the Six Core Quality Standards which are non-negotiable must define patient experience at this hospital. These Core Standards are:
- Values and attitudes of staff
- Cleanliness of our facilities
- Improved waiting times
- Patient and staff safety and security
- Infection prevention and control; and
- Availability of medicines and supplies
Before I take my seat, let me once more commend Lonmin, for entering into partnership with us and allowing us to determine the area of need. At the same breath we continue to pray for former President Nelson Mandela and wish him speedy recovery.
