There are overwhelming problems in child health service in our country and health workers should go to where the problems are, look for simple solutions and give more focus to achieving better outcomes on child health services, said Dr Gwen Ramokgopa, Deputy Minister for Health at the Child Health Summit hosted in Bloemfontein today.
The summit was called in an effort to refocus the attention to health issues pertaining specifically to child health. The research has shown that the Free State has a challenge with regards to the numbers of pregnant mothers and infants.
The Free State, being the first province to host a dedicated summit on child health, concluded today with resolutions which are to address structural and operational changes to the provision of child health services from primary to tertiary health care level. Highlighted, were the positive effects of the primary health care re-engineering on the health system in the Free State.
A key element of re-engineering is the creation of primary health care family-based health teams at ward level. These teams are to work with communities to improve health outcomes in paediatric and child health and are to form part of provincial primary health care re-engineering strategy.
Human resource related issues received increased attention and the need to increase the uptake for pre- and post graduate medical training, training of nurses, partnership with tertiary institutions for advanced emergency care training and post basic neo-natal nursing care.
The delivery of emergency medical services received attention and a concern highlighted was a number of hoax calls received by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) after 15h00 and the subsequent effect this has on real emergencies. The province is in the process to procure 18 designated obstetric ambulances and this it will improve service delivery. In general ambulances will also be allowed to access the nearest appropriate health facility and deviate from the referral route to ensure that the patient arrives at the health facilities in the shortest possible time.
Adding to this, the need to review data collection, interpretation and management of primary health care statistical data was highlighted. This has to assist the application of resources such as health care professionals, appropriate infrastructure and medicine and consumable procurement.
Mr ES Magashule, Premier of the Free State reminded delegates that the province is part of South Africa and therefore support the process of restructuring health services. Maternal and child health is an important focus and health must make use of the expertise available in the Faculty of Health Sciences. “We all need to go back to the basics.”
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