Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, accompanied by his Deputy Dr Molefi Sefularo and MECs of Health, today visited several health faculties in Mpumalanga as part of his department’s efforts to improve the conditions in the state health facilities.
The inspection comes as the Minister meets his provincial counterparts (Health MECs) in a two day National Health Council meeting starting in White River (Mpumalanga) this afternoon. Among the facilities visited and inspected were the Barberton and Rob Ferreira hospitals, Barberton tuberculosis (TB) hospital as well as the Kanyamazane Community Health Centre.
Addressing the staff at the Barberton Hospital Motsoaledi emphasised the need for those employed in the public health sector to work with him in improving the conditions in state health facilities.
“Each and every one of us has a duty and responsibility to ensure that conditions in our hospitals are improved, it cannot be business as usual,” said Motsoaledi.
Motsoaledi further appealed to the Mpumalanga health MEC to consider increasing the number of mobile clinics in the Umjindi District (which includes Barberton) as part of intensifying their primary healthcare system. Motsoaledi acknowledged the fact that Barberton hospital is an old facility built in the early 1900s and therefore requires renovation as part of his department’s hospital revitalisation programme.
At the Barberton TB hospital; Minister Motsoaledi expressed his satisfaction with the conditions there, which include cleanliness and infection control measures in place. Motsoaledi was further briefed about the TB situation in the province.
In his response Motsoaledi expressed a concern about the high TB incidence in Mpumalanga as and the low detection rate and urged the department to improve this situation.
For more information please contact:
Fidel Hadebe
Cell: 079 517 3333
Issued by: Department of Health
4 February 2010
