Minister of Health, Dr Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
11 May 2006
Chairperson
Ladies and gentlemen from the media
It is indeed a pleasure for us to welcome you to the inaugural 2006/2007
financial year Social Cluster media briefing to report on the progress made
within the cluster in line with the commitments made in the Programme of Action
of Government.
Most of the arrears that we are reporting on involves ongoing work of the
cluster and I am happy to report that significant progress was made during the
quarter in review in most of these areas.
Comprehensive social security
We are continuing with our focus on bringing more children into the social
safety net, especially those in the 11 to 14 year age group. We had set
ourselves an initial target of 1 271 506 in the 11 to 14 year age group for the
last financial year. We have so far managed to register 1 225 496 and are
proceeding to reach and register the outstanding 46 010 children in this age
group.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) successfully took over the
responsibility, administration and delivery of social grants from 1 April 2006
in Gauteng, Northern Cape and Western Cape. The transition has been a smooth
one to date. The integration of the remaining provinces should be completed by
the end of October 2006.
Staff responsible for social security at national and provincial level was
transferred to the SASSA.
Provision of free basic services
The provision of free basic services is continuing. The cluster is busy
analysing the challenges faced by some municipalities in implementing these
policies.
In dealing with remaining challenges in the areas of sanitation, especially
in rural communities and other areas of human settlement, the cluster has
developed an action plan to accelerate this programme. A total of 25 most needy
municipalities have been identified for urgent attention through Project
Consolidate.
To address challenges of billing systems, an interdepartmental task team is
working out strategies in partnership with SALGA to improve billing systems and
enhance credit control. This is work in progress.
Following the finalisation of the definition of disability for the purposes
of service provision by the departments of Health and Social Development, an
assessment tool to be used by both departments was finalised and is being
piloted. The tool will be piloted between May and June 2006. It is anticipated
that the tool which assesses functional ability will also be able to determine
levels of functionality in persons with various types of debilitating illness
and therefore eligibly to grants.
We are vigorously continuing with the work on Social Health Insurance. To
this end the Department of Health has provided funding to the Council for
Medical Schemes to develop infrastructure for the management and implementation
of the Risk Equalisation Fund which is the first step in the process towards
Social Health Insurance.
Enabling legislative amendments to the Medical Scheme Act are being
finalised and will be presented to Cabinet shortly to enable the implementation
of the Risk Equalisation Fund.
Addressing inefficiencies and unintended consequences of social
protection
You will recall that last year we initiated an investigation to thoroughly
investigate allegations of perverse incentives in the governmentâs social grant
system. An interdepartmental task team has since been established and has
developed terms of reference for the investigation. The study is being
conducted in three phases and uses a variety of methodologies to thoroughly
explore the phenomenon.
Four main areas of concern will be covered by the study. These areas
are:
* alleged increase in the teenage pregnancies relating to the child support
grant
* potential fostering of children by biological family
* the alleged reluctance to take medicines to control or reverse certain
ailments that can lead to permanent disability
* the supposed tendency of beneficiaries accessing grants without their
participation in the formal or informal labour market.
Preliminary results from this investigation do not seem to support the
theory that suggests an apparent correlation between the uptake of social
grants and an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies. On the child
support grant which means that new mothers are not in a hurry to obtain a
grant.
What also seems to be emerging from this investigation is that the majority
of teenager mothers are found to have only one child on the system, while there
is also a noteworthy delay between the first application for a child support
grant and the second application. In addition the majority of caregivers tend
to be over the age of 30 by the time they start accessing their second
grant.
In line with governmentâs objective of linking grants to economic activity,
the cluster is currently exploring welfare or social grants to employment
model. To this extent the cluster has commissioned research in collaboration
with international researchers to benchmark developments in other countries and
to examine economic activities of current beneficiaries in the Western and
Eastern Cape.
Promotion of national identity and social cohesion
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has concluded the
process of transferring of Truth Reconciliation Council (TRC) documentation to
the National Archives and funding was also secured towards financing an
electronic archiving system for the preservation of TRC records.
A publication to initiate the process of introducing a subject âapartheid
systemâ in our school curriculum is in its final stages of production.
Guidelines for preparation of the victims of apartheid who testified before the
TRC are also being developed. The National Archives and National Treasury are
assisting victims in obtaining documentation to enable them to apply for
special pensions.
Comprehensive healthcare
The Department of Social Development with support from the Department of
Health collaborated with the United Nations office on Drug Control and Crime
Prevention (UDNODC) on the implementation of a project on drug abuse called Ke
Moja.
In addition, guidelines on the prevention and management of drug abuse by
learners have been drafted jointly by the departments of Health and Education
and they have been approved for use.
Other interdepartmental projects include the promotion of healthy lifestyles
with special focus on physical activity in the fight against diseases of
lifestyle such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardio-vascular
diseases.
In addition, the departments of Education, Health and Sports and Recreation
and the South African Police Service (SAPS) have been working together on crime
prevention strategies with a special focus on the youth. Other youth
development interventions undertaken by the cluster include development of a
policy Framework on Health and Wellness in Public Schools.
In line with the decision taken by African Ministers of Health last year to
develop country specific-strategies to accelerate the prevention of HIV and
AIDS, the Department of Health is in the process of finalising a strategy for
the accelerated prevention of HIV and AIDS.
Through the Khomanani project the Department has continued to strengthen its
social mobilisation campaign through the recent addition of a community
mobilisation element. This element seeks to generate greater ownership and
involvement in prevention activities by communities.
Our condom distribution programme continues to grow significantly with an
estimated 40 million male condoms dispensed by health facilities and non-health
sites like shebeens and spazas nationally each month.
To improve the nutritional status of patients with debilitating illnesses
the Department of Health has provided more than 378 000 patients with
nutritional supplementation. Revised guidelines to improve the nutritional
status of patients with debilitating health conditions have been finalised.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) has initiated toxicology studies to
further study selected indigenous plants to assess their potential medicinal
efficacy. In addition, the Department of Health is planning a national workshop
consisting of both local and international experts on African Traditional
Medicines (ATM).
We continue with our efforts to reduce the price of medicine. We would like
to encourage the public to submit comments on the draft dispensing fee for
medicines by the closing date which is 15 May.
In line with the resolution of the last World Health Organisations/AFRO
(WHO/AFRO) meeting, the Department of Health launched a National Tuberculosis
(TB) Crisis Management Plan in March this year. Detailed provincial plans are
being finalised with a focus on two provinces, viz. the Eastern Cape and
KwaZulu-Natal and four health districts, namely Nelson Mandela Metro, Amatole
District, eThekweni Metro as well as the Johannesburg Metro.
Building on our successes on malaria control progress is being made on
increasing the percentage of targeted households for indoor spraying with DDT.
At present 80 percent of targeted households have been benefited from this
initiative. The health impact in terms of the reduction in the number of cases
and deaths from malaria through indoor residual spraying is now being supported
by the WHO.
I am pleased to announce that a Human Resource Plan for Health, the
countryâs first, has been finalised. The new plan provides a framework for
government interventions to recruit, retain and distribute equitably the skills
needed to support the health system.
A national audit is already underway that will inform the development of
business plans for reopening of nursing colleges in provinces. As tomorrow is
the International Day of Nursing, may I take this opportunity to wish all
nurses well and say how much government appreciates the contribution of every
civil servant but of course I need to single out nurses and health workers in
particular.
Improving quality of care in our public facilities remains a high priority.
To give effect to this objective, a resolution was taken last year to look into
the feasibility of delegating additional levels of authority to Hospitals CEOs.
The provinces are currently reviewing current delegations as well as capacity
for further delegations. A hospital management training programme aimed at
enhancing the skills of our managers has commenced at the Universities of
KwaZulu-Natal and Witwatersrand.
Human settlement
The existing mandate of the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC) is
currently under review to enable the parastatals to function as a financial
institution. In order to achieve this, legislation will require to be amended
and this process has already been initiated.
In addition, the Department of Housing together with its partners has begun
with the process of looking into ways of broadening housing allocation for low
income earners. This proposed approach opens the possibility of allocation of
settlements for low earners in some of the commercially driven housing
developments.
This approach to housing delivery will ensure that the urban economy and
infrastructure is accessible to the previously marginalised people, via
inclusionary zoning. This policy will also create mixed-income communities,
which are diverse and integrated.
The newly approved Housing Finance Linked Subsidy Programme makes provision
for assistance to person in the income bracket of R3 501 to R7 000 who may wish
to buy a house with financial sector assistance. Government has been in
constant interactions with the financial institutions to finalise outstanding
issues of, inter alia, collateral underpin and risk mitigation and
international best practice. Research has also been undertaken to establish the
best way forward.
A programme which is intended to provide rental stock for the poor is also
being finalised. This will incorporate the rental stock formally practised
during the pre-1994 housing stock and municipal-owned hostels. This stock is
currently inhabited by the very poor and as such makes it nearly impossible for
government to be able to recoup capital and service charges due to it. A new
financial model is currently being designed to can allow the possibility for
municipalities to recover their services and maintenance costs.
Water and sanitation
I`m happy to pronounce that Project Consolidate aimed at capacitating
municipalities for improved service delivery is gaining momentum. More than 30
engineers have been mobilised and are providing hands-on technical support to
50 municipalities through this initiative.
Following recent media reports about the alleged presence of worms and
rat-tailed maggots found in drinking water in some areas of the country, a
thorough investigation was immediately launched.
The Department of Water Affairs together with responsible municipalities in
Cape Town, Ekhuruleni, Msunduzi and the Rand Water Board and Umgeni Water
proceeded to undertake independent audits of the drinking water within the
reported areas. Contrary to these reports, drinking water tested from taps in
these areas was found to be 100 percent compliant with standards and indicated
no contamination.
In addition, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry continues to
support municipalities in planning for water supply including development of
sufficient water resources, and progress in meeting set targets is being
monitored very closely.
A strategy to accelerate the delivery of sanitation has been completed and
the business and implementation plans are being finalised. Most of
municipalities have also signed their funding agreements with Eskom as a
service provider for Free Basic Electricity (FBE). The number of beneficiaries
of FBE have increased to 2,9 million, which represents 52 percent of the
desired target.
Improve food security
The social cluster has come a long way in its mandate to implement
governmentâs food security programme targeted at the poorest of the poor. As we
speak, more than 33 137 households have received agricultural starter packs as
of end January 2006.
In an attempt to improve agricultural productivity at household level, a
mechanisation support scheme for household producers was established. This
project was initiated with the procurement of 330 power hoes distributed to
four district municipalities in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. It
is expected that more than 3 000 food parcel recipients will be able to improve
their agricultural productivity.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Land Bank and MAFISA,
defining the roles and responsibilities of the various partners and also
unlocking some of the bureaucratic impediments for accessing funds has been
signed. This has led to a total of R3,3 million approved for 150
applications.
The total number of beneficiaries reached through the land restitution
programme during the last financial year is 1 104. Investigations are in
progress to review the current willing buyer, willing seller approach and
determine best possible alternatives.
Education: Broadening access and improving quality
Over five million learners at 16 000 schools benefited from the primary
school nutrition programme with overall expenditure of about R200 million in
nodal districts. Three provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Northern Cape, and North West)
have reviewed their procurement strategy in order to broaden opportunities for
women cooperatives and local Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs).
The school register of needs is being updated and 9 800 schools were audited
by the end of March. Of the 4 300 schools without adequate sanitation, 2 175
had been provided with proper sanitation by the end of February. Of the 4 774
schools without water, 1 907 had been provided with safe water during the same
period.
The problem with learners under trees has been addressed. The remaining
challenge facing the Department of Education is the elimination of mud schools
that are still prevalent in certain areas and are vulnerable to storms and
other hazards.
About 3 million learners in 3 000 schools that have been identified as
no-fee schools are exempted from paying school fees.
The cluster has made progress in most of the areas as I have highlighted and
we will continue with the efforts to deliver on the commitments made in the
government programme of action.
Thank you for your time.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
11 May 2006
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