5 April 2006
This yearâs World Health Day commemorations on Friday, 7 April, will be
devoted to human resources in the health sector through the acknowledgement of
the commitment and dedication of our health professionals in ensuring that,
despite the odds, we manage to provide quality healthcare service to the
country.
At the World Health Assembly in May last year a resolution was adopted that
2006 be dedicated to celebrating human resources in health under the theme:
âWorking together for healthâ. The South African slogan is: âWorking together
for Health: Honouring and Celebrating Health Worker Excellenceâ, as recognition
of our health workers as the heartbeat of the health system and also a call for
action to unite all role players in government, private sector,
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities in uniting to strengthen
the workforce.
In an effort to effect the realisation of these themes, the Department of
Health will use the occasion on Friday to also launch â for the first time â
the countryâs Human Resources Plan for Health aimed at addressing various
challenges the country faces in providing and retaining skilled workers for the
sector.
The long awaited Plan will serve as a roadmap to guide the countryâs
healthcare sectors, both public and private, in the appropriate planning,
development and management of skilled human resources adequate to provide
quality healthcare for all South Africans.
The sector needs such planning to ensure the following:
* That it obtains the right quality and adequate quantity of the staff it
requires
* It makes the optimum use of its human resources;
* Is able to anticipate and manage surpluses; and develops a multi-skilled,
representative and flexible workforce, which enables the department to adapt
rapidly to a changing operational environment.
The plan will serve as a reference point for province-specific Human
Resource Plans and will provide managers with an overall framework for
recruiting and developing appropriate retention strategies in their
provinces.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang will officially launch the plan in
Johannesburg and this will be immediately followed by a national conference
where the plan will be subjected to detailed discussions by various
stakeholders. Various events have been planned across the country to
commemorate the day.
The media is invited as follows:
Date: Friday, 7 April 2006
Time: 09h00
Venue: Emperorâs Palace, Kempton Park, Johannesburg
Enquiries: Solly Mabotha
Cell: 083 678 9860
Issued by: Department of Health
5 April 2006
