MEC Dhlomo to address a media briefing on the service delivery progress report on Thursday

Journalists are invited to a media briefing to be addressed by the MEC for Health Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo on his service delivery progress report which will be presented to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Thursday.

The media briefing will be held at the legislature on Thursday at 13h30 at the ANC Caucus Room, KwaZulu-Natal Legislature; 244 Langalibalele Street Pietermaritzburg.

The MEC has made it his practice to brief the legislature on regular intervals on the delivery of healthcare in the province. The priority for the department is improving the health status of the entire population and to contribute to government’s vision of “A Long and Healthy Life for All South Africans”. It is believed that this will only be possible by broadening and deepening the extent and scope of community involvement and social mobilisation in all aspects of health provision at local level. The report will cover the four outputs aimed at realising the government’s vision of ‘A long and healthy life for all South Africans’.

These outputs are:

• Output 1: Increasing Life Expectancy
• Output 2: Decreasing Maternal and Child mortality
• Output 3: Combating HIV and AIDS and decreasing the burden of disease from Tuberculosis
• Output 4: Strengthening Health System Effectiveness

Linked to these outputs are clearly articulated indicators and targets. Major targets include the following:

• Life expectancy must increase from the current 53.9 years for males and 57.2 years for females (Statistics SA 2009) to 58 years for males and 60 years for females by 2014.
• South Africa’s Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) must decrease to 100 (or less) per 100,000 live births by 2014. The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) country report estimates MMR at 625 per 100 000.
• The child mortality rate must decrease to 20 deaths (or less) per 1 000 live births by 2014. The MDG country report estimates child mortality rates at 104 per 100 000.
• The TB cure rate must improve from 64% in 2007 to 85% by 2014.
• 80% of eligible people living with HIV and AIDS must access antiretroviral treatment.
• New HIV infections must be reduced by 50% by 2014.

The MEC will also brief the media on the Provincial Health Summit to be held from 2 to 4 September in Durban where close to 800 delegates from all various organisations involved in health will meet and exchange ideas on improving the quality of healthcare delivery in the province.