Working towards improved primary healthcare delivery in the North West province, MEC for Health Dr. Magome Masike will tomorrow assess level of health service delivery at primary health facilities in Bojanala Platinum District. The visit is part of MEC Masike’s commitment to address basic needs at primary health care.
The MEC will also use the visit to meet with health professionals. Health service delivery check will start at recently completed Moses Kotane hospital at 9h00 and will proceed to Pheela Health Centre.
The department early this month urged the public to make use of community health centers and public clinics as the first point of entry into the health system as services continue to improve.
This comes in the midst of overflow of patients visiting hospitals with cold cases that could have been seen and treated at a primary health level. The overflow has an effect on emergency cases. Out of every 100 patients 95 need the attention of a clinical nurse, and only 5 that needs hospital intervention.
Community health centers in the province have resident medical officers (Doctors) who can attend to more complicated illnesses or injuries and at the clinics they have scheduled medical officers every week. There is a referral system which moves patients from clinics (primary health care) to hospitals as and when they need secondary or tertiary intervention.
Health facilities have an excellent and regular supply of all medication. The practice of utilising the primary health care services as the first point of entry will reduce the unnecessary burden placed at most hospitals by community members. This will also have a positive impact on the waiting period experienced at hospitals while allowing health professionals to attend to emergencies in an efficient and effective way.
The media is in invited.
Enquiries:
Tebogo Lekgethwane
Cell: 082 299 958 or 078 170 0037
E-mail: tlekgethwane@nwpg.gov.za
Ngwako Motsieng (Media Officer: North West Department of Health)
Tel: 018 387 5830
Cell : 0829648838 or 0820974970
Fax: 0866342993
E-mail: nmotsieng@nwpg.gov.za or nmotsieng@gmail.com
