M Tshabalala-Msimang: MTM Health Professionals Bursary Award
ceremony

9 September 2006

Programme Director
Board of trustees of the bursary fund
Esteemed sponsors and patrons
Invited guests and friends
Winners of the 2006 bursary awards
Ladies and gentlemen

Good Evening.

It is a great honour and privilege for me to once more welcome this eminent
group of South Africans to yet another MTM Bursary Award ceremony here in Cape
Town.

I wish to welcome in particular, the original and new sponsors of this
initiative. I would also like to recognise the co-ordinators of this bursary
project, Sekunjalo Holdings.

I am grateful for the sterling work that has been done to enable the
students to realise their goals of becoming health professionals through this
sponsorship. I cannot forget the undying support of all board members in an
effort to realise this noble goal.

I have always believed that the best way in which we can be able to respond
to many of the health challenges facing us today, is through the strengthening
of the health system. All categories of health workers play a central role in
the delivery of health services and they are the most critical factors in
ensuring that the health system functions.

It is for this reason that the Department of Health has developed the Human
Resource Plan for health, which provides the framework for addressing the
challenges of supply, distribution and capacity of our human resources in the
health sector.

While we continue to address major system’s challenges and finding long-term
solutions, I believe it is critical that each one of us must do something to
address these challenges in our localities. These efforts may not turn up to be
huge initiatives, but the little things we do like adding a few more health
professionals into the system, makes a lot of difference in the lives of
people.

It means that a young person who was probably not going to get any
marketable skill can now realise a dream of becoming a health professional. It
means that some community that would otherwise have struggled to get access to
a doctor or nurse can now have an extra health professional available to
serve.

I can still recall the first gala evening of this noble project, which was
held at Westcliff at the Netcare premises. The goodwill and spirit of that day
left an indelible mark on my mind and I will forever cherish the noble
sentiments shared on that day. I was most humbled that the bursary was named
after me.

I also remember the first MTM Bursary Award ceremony, where a large
contingent of medical students, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and
speech therapists received their bursaries. The gratitude and joy on the faces
of those young bursary recipients, and their determination to work even harder
to succeed in their studies, was encouraging indeed.

I am informed that some of those students have since completed their studies
and are at various levels of practice in the healthcare delivery system. Well
done to them and thank you to all those who supported them.

I sincerely wish to thank heartily the noble thought of finding this
magnanimous way of contributing to the development of our country by assisting
our young people who have the will to complete health professional studies in
our universities and work in our health facilities.

The Government, with its limited resources can only achieve so much, and
invariably relies on the support of the private and other sectors in the
realisation of our collective goals as a nation.

It has already been mentioned that the MTM Health Professionals Bursary Fund
was launched in March 2000 by a few healthcare companies. Since the initial
group, the number of sponsors has increased. The bursary was conceived as a
response to the critical need for healthcare professionals in medicine and the
rehabilitative sciences in South Africa.

Its focus was on financially poor students from historically disadvantaged
communities, who have academic potential. Also essential, was a demonstrable
indication of community involvement of each applicant ranging from
participation in sport, cultural and community events, leadership and other
community projects.

The first group of bursary students was selected in 2001 and a number of
these students obtained academic distinction. It is needless for me to over
emphasise the need for aptly trained health professionals who are ready to
tackle head-on the escalating demands for health care in this country. The
increasing population and burden of disease requires that we increase the
training of health professionals in the country.

I would like to conclude by congratulating the 2006 winners of the MTM
Bursary Awards who are gathered here today.

My young under-graduates, please accept this offer with both hands and
strive for excellence over the next few years until you achieve your goal. Your
country needs you.

I wish you all the best, all the good fortune and success. I am looking
forward to meeting you as young health professionals in some of our health
facilities soon.

Thank you

Issued by: Department of Health
9 September 2006