Johannesburg inner city
26 June 2006
The MEC for Health in Gauteng, Mr Brian Hlongwa, has announced that the
provincial Department of Health is to appoint family physicians in clinics to
improve the quality of care.
Speaking at the opening of the Hillbrow Community Health Centre, Hlongwa
urged health professionals and other employees to put the interests of patients
first.
"We will have to change the perception that health professionals in the
public sector are cold, indifferent and do not care deeply about their
patients. This is clearly not true but it is a perception that exists and it
will only change when we start giving patients a different experience of
service and when we embrace a people-centred work ethos," he said.
The Hillbrow Community Health Centre (CHC) is the biggest of all public
clinics of its kind and was built at a cost of R33,4 million.
It is the only community health centre in the densely populated Johannesburg
inner city and it is expected to bring relief to Johannesburg Hospital as it
offers casualty services, a comprehensive medico-legal service and midwifery
and obstetrics services on a 24 hour basis.
The CHC will offer comprehensive HIV and AIDS management and treatment
including antiretroviral therapy, among other services.
The MEC said the department was paying attention to efforts to reduce long
queues of patients in public health facilities.
"While our health professionals are doing great work, sometimes under trying
circumstances, this is often undermined by our inability to properly manage the
queues and delays in treating patients," he said.
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Tel: (011) 355 3503
Cell: 082 551 9892
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
26 June 2006
