at the Fifa Medical Workshop, Kimberley
5 October 2007
Programme Director
Honourable Premier
Chairman of the Fifa Sports Medical Committee and the rest of the Fifa medical
team
CEO of the South African Local Organising Committee
South African Local Organising Committee Medical Advisory Board
Honoured guests
Ladies and gentlemen
Good afternoon
It gives me great pleasure to be part of this very important event here in
Kimberly today. As an example of how important I believe this workshop is, you
may be interested to know that I have just travelled all the way from an
official opening of a clinic near East London in the Eastern Cape this morning,
to be here this afternoon to express our commitment to the 2010 Fifa World
Cup.
Although the government has certain obligations with regards to the
guarantees provided in support of the bid to host the 2010 tournament, I would
like to emphasise that, we in health appreciate the enormous prestige and
benefits that this event brings to our country.
As we proceed towards the start of the tournament, with the clock counting
down towards D-day, every effort is being made to ensure that health and
medical services are adequately prepared to face any challenge placed before
us.
You have an absolute assurance from us in the Department of Health that
several vigorous initiatives are in place to ensure that we rise up to the
occasion. Our preparation efforts include integrated planning through a
multi-sectoral and intra-governmental Health Technical Task Team, 15 expert
workgroups, a national Programme Unit at Directorate level and nine provincial
programme managers.
In examining the guarantees, it is clear that we have broad overarching
responsibilities for players, very important people, sponsors, officials,
media, spectators and support personnel. For the sake of clarity, I would like
to read an extract from the guarantees provided:
"The infrastructure of the South African National Health System, with specific
regard to the availability of a comprehensive medical service, including
24-hour emergency medical treatment and disaster management will be put at the
disposal of the 2010 Fifa World Cup in the cities where the games will be
played. This applies to both foreign and local delegations including the Fifa
delegation and representatives, South African Football Association (Safa),
players, management and coaching staff, foreign and local spectators, media,
sponsors, officials, administrators and the small business sector servicing the
spectators at the respective venues."
The national Health World Cup Unit is in the process of finalising a master
plan, based on the inputs of the 15 expert workgroups. However, whilst this
process is underway, progress is already being made in improving a select
services within the health system, which will not only improve service delivery
during the tournament but, will also provide a legacy framework for the
country.
The most notable of these initiatives are the improvements being made in the
following areas:
* emergency medical services
* emergency centres
* stadium medical facilities
* port health services
The department along with its provincial partners has already embarked on
the upgrading of certain select areas within emergency medical services and
these include:
* the modernisation and expansion of the ambulance fleet
* modernisation of communications centres
* expansion of aero-medical services
* the enhancement of emergency care training.
In order to support these initiatives a substantial extra-ordinary budget of
R286 million has been set aside to enhance our preparedness for the World Cup.
The budget will ensure that all provinces have sufficient capacity to
adequately respond to the demands of this largest sport tournament ever hosted
in the African continent.
Targeted for next year is the enhancement of certain identified emergency
centres, which includes emergency specific training, disaster medicine training
and the establishment of a trauma databank. Also included in the initiatives
for next year is the enhancement of port health services by means of increased
capacity and training.
We are presently preparing a national communication programme, as well as
focusing on critical health promotion issues. To this end, a dedicated health
information website is being developed which will provide health related
information to visitors and locals alike.
Hospital systems are also being strengthened and, in addition to mass
casualty preparation, certain public and private health facilities are being
designated as primary centres for the tournament.
A comprehensive bed bureau will be established at each designated hospital
linking it with the provincial Health Operations Centre, thereby providing a
real time picture of bed availability. This will link to an incident command
information system providing a comprehensive information system for incident
management.
Of importance as well is to ensure the well-being of visitors and
comprehensive plans are being developed to ensure food integrity at designated
venues, as well as potable water, sanitation and waste management.
The Health World Cup Unit has been working closely with the South Africa
Local Organising Committee (Saloc) to ensure that stadiums have adequate
medical facilities and numerous meetings have been held between the Unit, Saloc
and host cities. The focus has been specifically on facilities for players,
doping control, very important people, media and spectators.
With regards to doping control, I am quite confident that our World
Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accredited facility at the University of Bloemfontein
will ably serve the needs of the tournament. I am also aware that the Director
of the Health World Cup Unit has had interactions with the South African
Institute for Drug-Free Sport to ensure that their requirements within stadiums
are taken into consideration, along with the medical facilities.
The other guarantees provided by myself as the Minister of Health relate to
the suspension of the requirement for registration of foreign medical and
allied health practitioners and the importation of medical equipment and
pharmaceuticals by such practitioners. This has been addressed in the 2010 Fifa
World Cup South Africa Special Measures Act, No 11 of 2006. There are certain
administrative requirements relating to these measures, but this will be
managed working together with the Saloc.
Finally, with respect to guarantees provided by myself, is the fact that no
restriction will be placed on advertising, sale and consumption of alcohol,
other than that already imposed by existing law.
When one examines the health related responsibilities placed on the Saloc by
Fifa in the Organising Association Agreement document, it becomes quite evident
that there exists an overlap of responsibilities between the Saloc and the
Department of Health.
It therefore becomes imperative that the two organisations combine their
efforts during the planning, preparation and service delivery phases. The
tournament is of such a magnitude and complexity that it will stretch our
resources. It therefore becomes important that we work together t ensure that
the health and medical services are appropriately geared to support the hosting
of the best Soccer World Cup ever.
A formal Memorandum of Understanding is presently being drafted between the
Department of Health and Saloc.
Finally, let me wish you all the best in your deliberations over these next
two days.
You may rest assured that we will do everything in our power to ensure that
the tournament is a great success. More importantly, we would want to leave
Fifa with no doubt that the trust displayed by awarding the 2010 Fifa World Cup
to South Africa, is well placed.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
5 October 2007
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
