Programme Director,
MMCs for Health,
Traditional Leaders and Healers,
HOD of the Department of Health Dr David Motau,
Executive Managers and all officials of the department at all levels,
University Management here present and partners.
Allow me to thank you all for making time to attend this important occasion, It is indeed an occasion that directly resonate with one of the significant priorities of our Ten Point Plant which is Strengthening Research and Development.
Undertaking more research studies and surveys is critically important in that it will help us all policy decision makers to generate key reliable information for health planning, service delivery and monitoring. Research is the central plank of virtually all other priorities of the Ten Point Plan.
As we strive to give practical and programmatic expression to the government’s vision of A Long and Healthy Life for All South Africans we will need to commission more research work in order to research on the outcomes and impact of the implementation of our key programmes.
In this regard, fortifying our existing partnerships with the University of the Free State will remain key to our programme of action.
Programme director, this event today is indeed a step in a right direction!
I am particularly pleased that the theme for this year’s research day poses an important question of “How to improve equity and access to quality health care services for all in the province”. The research topics discerning from this theme covered amongst others the following important topics:
- HIV and AIDS and TB
- Maternal and child health
- Chronic diseases
- Non-communicable diseases
- Health systems strengthening
- Health equity, governance and finance
- Health services and primary health care
- Sexual and reproductive health and rights
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
These topics are a reflection of many of the priorities in the Ten Point Plan and also the four important outcomes of the National Service Delivery Agreement regime, namely;
- Increasing Life Expectancy
- Decreasing Maternal and Child mortality
- Combating HIV and AIDS and decreasing the burden of disease from Tuberculosis
- Strengthening Health system Effectiveness
Programme director it is therefore my well-considered view that we will seriously look at the research papers and presentations made by individuals and organisations with a view of reaping maximum benefits out of them. In this way, I believe, we shall have earnestly started a long process of making research a tool for development.
One of the most observations to note is that clinical research is a building block of any effective healthcare system. Yet, the number of PhD students has decreased from 62 in 2006/07 to 2009/10. In addition there is little turnover whereby younger researchers replace the older generation of researchers. According to Professor Mayozi, researchers under the age of 30 conduct less than 1% of all medical research. He maintained that this was a serious impediment to the pursuit of clinical research.
This event must therefore propel us all into taking bold and courageous action of colossal proportions in making research a real tool to gunner interest and common good for all our people. For us research must not be a mere academic exercise. It must help us to be more innovative and identify new methods of doing things to achieve efficiency and effectiveness.
What compounds the situation further is lack of reliable health information as one of the obstacles to effectively plan health services in South Africa. The existing health information systems are fragmented and uncoordinated and this result in the broader health system providing poor quality data that cannot enable good patient care, good planning, budgeting and general management of programs and the department as a whole. Therefore, establishment of Provincial Health Information Systems Committee will strengthen health information systems in the province.
The Health Act 63 of 2003 requires the establishment of health information systems governance structures. This requirement has been outlined in the District Health Information Systems (DHMIS) Policy.
In terms of section 74 (1) of the act, the national department must facilitate and coordinate the establishment, implementation and maintenance of information systems by provincial departments, district health councils, municipalities and the private health sector of health information system of the national, provincial and local levels in order to create a comprehensive national health information system.
Section 74(2) of the act stipulates that the Minister may, for the purpose of creating, maintaining or adapting databases within the National Health Information System, contemplated in subsection (1), prescribe categories or kinds of data for submission and collection and the manner and format in which and by whom the data must be compiled or collated and must be submitted to the national department.
The National Health Act of 2003 requires each Member of the Executive Council (MECs) for Health to establish a provincial committee to establish, maintain, facilitate and implement health information systems at provincial and local levels, to contribute to the creation of a comprehensive national health information system, as outlined in section 74 of the Act.
Provincial Health Information Systems Committees shall ensure that all health information systems developed adhere to national guidelines and specifications. Where required, Provincial Health Information Systems Committees shall guide the development of provincial policies and regulations to govern information at Provincial and local levels. Provincial Health Information Systems Committees shall monitor DHMIS policy implementation; NIDS implementation and receive reports from Provincial DoHs.
Equally important is Section 76 of the act which amongst others stipulates that every district health council and every municipality which provides a health service must establish and maintain a health information system as part of the National Health Information System contemplated in section 74 of the act.
The research committee we are establishing today will be expected to work steadfastly to establish, maintain, facilitate and implement health information systems at Provincial and Local levels. To contribute to the creation of a comprehensive national health information system, as outlined in section 74 of the National Health Act of 2003.
To ensure that all health information systems developed adhere to national guidelines and specifications. To guide the development of provincial policies and regulations to govern information at Provincial and local levels. To monitor District Health Management Information Systems (DHMIS) policy implementation; National Indicator Data Set (NIDS) and Provincial Indicator Data Set (PIDS) implementation and receive reports from District Departments’ of Health (DoHs).
To ensure that every district and municipality that provides a Health Service, establish and maintain a Health Information System as part of the National Health Information System.
Having outlined some of the important legislative frameworks relevant to this event today it also critically important that I turn to the principles upon which our approach and quest in providing quality health care is predicated upon.
In the ANC Ready to Govern document, 1992 we asserted that the provision of equitable health care should be guided by the aspiration of our people as enshrined in the Freedom Charter and the principles which reflect the Primary Health Care Approach adopted by the World Health Organisation and the United Nation’s Children Fund at Alma Ata in 1978.
The PHC is essentially that of community development. I believe that some of you have already begun to witness the impact of our PHC re-engineering efforts in the province. We must continue to maintain the principle of community participation espoused by PHC. The PHC approach is a central plank in ensuring that our people indeed do access to health care as a basic human right. This unalienable right is now enshrined in our constitution.
The challenges we face as a province and country regarding the task of decreasing maternal and child mortality are well documented. It is therefore important that the health service must continue to give priority to children and mothers. Other sectors that also require our undivided attention include the elderly, the mentally ill, workers, the unemployed and the disabled.
Programme director, ours is a journey of hope and resilience.
In the recent past many aspects of our health policies have been tested more than ever before. These include amongst others the HIV and AIDS, NHI and the critically important issue of health financing.
Our HCT campaign managed to achieve the set targets and we will continue to strengthen our efforts to defeat the scourge of HIV and AIDS. We will also continue to double our efforts for the smooth implementation of the NHI pilot. The response from the quintile 1 and 2 school principals and GP’s during the recent visit by the Minister of health is particularly encouraging.
During the budget vote speech we committed to ensuring that a financial recovery plan is implemented within the first 100 days of my term. I believe that we are indeed on course regarding this matter. Lessons learned from this will help us make a better case for health financing in the province.
We are on course; let’s accelerate the pace of delivery!
