EThekwini Metro Speaker
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Health Head of Department – Dr Sibongile Zungu
EThekwini District Health Management
Councillors
Izakhamizi zalelihostela
Members of the South African Police Service (SAPS)
Malunga omphakathi ahloniphekile
Today is a very important day for all of us especially to the residents of this historic Hostel as well as to the communities of Phoenix, Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu because we are here to ensure a Long and Healthy Life for All of you.
As KwaZulu-Natal Government we have always been concerned about the bad stories and negative events that continue emanating from this corner hostel as well as the INK region as a whole.
It is indeed a privilege that we are able to integrate the residents here with the greater community with a sole purpose of opening up access of the health care services to all.
When MEC Weziwe Thusi informed us about the lack of basic health services here and your request to have a clinic, I realised that even last year when we came to hand over a new KwaMashu Community Health Centre, we omitted to come and report what it offers to you. Please accept our apology for that oversight. The facility I am referring to was built at a cost of R167 million and offers amongst other services, the following:
- Emergency / Casualty including the Plaster Of Paris Room
- Short Stay Ward - eight beds + four cots
- Maternity (First Stage Room, six delivery rooms, Premature Nursery plus four Ante Natal and four Post Natal Beds
- Radiology / Ultrasound
- Laboratory
- Pharmacy
- Dentist / Rehabilitation
- Eye Clinic
- Mortuary Services
You will then wonder as to what the old KwaMashu Poly Clinic is doing today since its doors remain open. The activities happening there are now restricted for the provision of the following services:
- Medical Male Circumcision
- Management of TB
- Mental Health Services
- Initiation to and provision of ART
- Rehabilitation Services
Also allow me to inform you of other developments that we have in stock as the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health in this pink area:
1. Mahatma Gandhi Hospital
- Construction of a Mental Health Care Centre - Total Budget R23 million
- Extension of the Existing Pharmacy Department for ARV Service with a total Budget of R1, 2 million
2. Phoenix CHC
Rehabilitation of the facility and extending the Patient Waiting Area at a total budget of R25 million
3. Inanda C
Additions and Alterations to Administration Block at a total budget of R31 million
4. Mortuary
Construction of the New Mortuary at a total budget of R78 million
5. Planned Hospitals
- Pixley ka Seme Hospital - piling currently being done on site, super structure at design stage.
- John Dube Hospital - at design stage.
Programme Director; allow us to share our concerns as Government that this area being part of the eThekwini Metro Region is burdened with concurrent epidemics of HIV and Tuberculosis (TB).
All of us have to know that KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape account for approximately 50% of the TB burden in South Africa and that eThekwini Metro alone accounts for almost a quarter of those. Allow me to tabulate some of statistics that show how we perform as a population of more than 800 000 residents:
HCT
HIV client pre-test counselled (excluding antenatal) – female: 158 872
HIV client tested (excluding antenatal) – female: 79 225
HIV client pre-test counselled – male: 110 870
HIV client tested – male: 68 215
Medical Male Circumcision
Male circumcision performed on neonate 0-3 months: 90
Male circumcision performed on child 4 months to 14 years: 5 028
Male circumcision performed on adult 15-49 years: 58 834
Male circumcision performed on adult 50 years and older: 329
Deliveries below 18 yrs.
Delivery in facility under 18 years from April to Sept 2012: 11 907
I must indicate that we are not happy at all with the snail pace in which we have embraced the Medical Male Circumcision Initiative in this area even though we have dedicated the whole old Poly Clinic for this function. How do we justify the reluctance?
Allow me to also dwell on the most scandalous and shameful practice that the INK area is now notorious about:
Medico Legal Issues
Number of Sexual Assault (Rapes) seen at Thuthuzela Care Centre for the period January 2012 to October 2012
Sexual Assault of females and Total
Sexual Assault Adults (over the age of 18) : 336
Sexual Assault Children (Below the age of 12) : 416
Sexual Assault Children (Between the ages 12- 18): 284
Sexual Assault of Adults (0ver the age of 50 years): nine
Sexual Assault of males
Sexual Assault of Males (Below the age of 12) 44
Sexual assault of Males (Between the ages 12 – 18)
Sexual Assault of Males (Over the age of 18) 13
Aphi Amadoda angempela uma kunje?
Now talking to the real men of the Pink Region; how do we account for the high teenage pregnancy rates that are being experienced in this area?
The truth of the matter is that teenagers here are engaged in reckless and unprotected sex, which also leaves then at high risk of HIV infection.
Fellow compatriots, we are also soliciting for your support in addressing all the social ills manifesting themselves within our communities. We are also imploring all of you to work with us in the promotion of the integrated prevention strategy based on:
- behaviour change
- use of barrier methods
- providing medical male circumcision
- scaling up syndrome management of STI
- early prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) thus curbing Maternal mortality; Infant mortality and orphaning.
Allow me to wish you all a festive season filled with joy and laughter. And let our men folk treat every day as a moment of no to violence to women and children.
I thank you.
