In the State of the Province address, the Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, highlighted that the implementation of the Health Turnaround Strategy in the current financial year has yielded positive results and we plan to continue with efforts to ensure the provision of better health care services in Gauteng.
As part of the turnaround strategy, the department focused on restoring effective controls and systems and improving efficiencies, capacity and management in key areas. Particular attention was paid to four central hospitals (Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic; Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic; Dr George Mukhari and Steve Biko Pretoria Academic.)
To ensure effective functioning of the above as well as other hospitals, the implementation of the strategy addressed staffing, equipment, the number of beds, the working environment, supply of drugs as well as patient and staff satisfaction and morale. Through the strategy, infrastructure maintenance and provisioning of electro-mechanical equipment has been notably improved.
In this hospital (Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic), 14 autoclaves, 12 generators, 5 chillers, 6 gas sterilizers and 5 boilers are all fully functional. The hospital is scheduled to have 40 lifts in total (25 are functional, one is being repaired and 16 are scheduled to be replaced.) All laundry machines are functional.
At Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, medical and ICU wards have been refurbished and new lifts, chillers and boilers have been installed. To eliminate challenges in theatres during power outages as have been in recent months, new generators are in place and permanent onsite maintenance officials have been appointed.
Also last month, a project to refurbish a total of 13 nurses and doctors residences to an acceptable state commenced. The project includes residences in Lebone Nursing and EMS College, SG Lourens, Ann Lansky, Chris Hani, Coronation and Garankuwa Nursing Colleges, hospitals include Natalspruit, Tembisa, Sebokeng, Helen Joseph and Charlotte Maxeke.
The scope of work includes paintwork, plumbing works, refurbishment of floors, tiling, repairs to roof leaks, repair and replacement of doors and door locks, repairs to electrical distribution boards etc.
Other improvements as a result of the implementation of the Health Turnaround Strategy include the availability of essential medicines at facilities from 40% to 78%. In the year ahead we aim to increase this to 98%. The re-engineering of the Medical Supply Depot is underway and in 2013/2014 the construction of the new Gauteng Medical Supply Depot will commence.
The province continues to strengthen the fight against HIV and AIDS. We have reached over 4 million people through HIV Counselling and Testing initiatives since 2011. Of the estimated 1.2 million Gauteng residents who are HIV positive, close to 900,000 now have access to anti-retroviral therapy through the public health system; an exponential increase compared to just 75,000 on ART in 2006.
Another achievement seen by the department is the decrease of maternal mortality ratio from 167 per 100 000 live births during 2005 to 2007 triennium report to 145 per 100 000 live births in the 2008 to 2010.
This was achieved through the improved early booking rate before 20 weeks from 36% to 40%, training of health workers in Essential Steps in Managing Obstetric Emergencies and District Clinical Specialists teams have been appointed in all five districts.
Child survival was improved through the promotion of exclusive breast feeding and the establishment of Kangaroo Mother Care for low birth weight babies in 98% of hospitals providing maternity and neonatal care.
Currently, 60% of facilities that provide this service are credited as Mother and Baby Friendly. To reduce vaccine preventable deaths, immunisation of children younger than one year has been maintained above the national target of 90%. Malnutrition for children under five years has been reduced through the provision of nutrition supplements such as vitamin A and promotion of breast feeding.
In the next financial year, further training for health workers will be provided to health workers, decrease incidence of severe malnutrition, increase the percentage of mothers booking early for ante natal clinics and funding to early childhood development centres.
To strengthen primary health care, a total of 48 Ward Based Community Outreach Teams have been established to date and all five districts have established District Clinical Specialist Teams. These teams include Obstetricians, Paediatricians and Family medicine specialists.
We now have 26 Community Health Centres with 24-hour access and 100 clinics with extended hours, an improvement on just 82 clinics with extended hours in 2010. An additional 1 394 Community Health Workers have been trained on Primary Health Care re-engineering.
The number of school health teams to implement the Integrated School Health Programme will be increased from 27 to 39, and 80% of Quintile 1 and 2 schools will be visited.
Another focus for 2013/14 will be the repositioning of Emergency Medical Services in the province to improve response times and the quality of service. The province will procure 100 new ambulances and 20 specialised obstetric ambulances to respond to expectant women in labour.
The new financial year will also see the increase in a number of Gauteng Forensic Pathology mortuaries from 10 (Diepkloof, Sebokeng, Johannesburg, Roodepoort, Heildelberg, Germiston, Springs, Pretoria, Brokonspruit and Ga-Rankuwa) currently to 11. The additional one will be in Carltonville and it will greatly assist the community of Merafong which previously had to travel either to Sebokeng and Roodepoort facilities to report unnatural deaths.
Also in the next financial year, the department will continue to take steps to contain costs and eliminate wastage. To this extent the implementation of cost containment plan which has resulted in savings of around R100 million. The areas of cost containment include fleet management, laboratory services, medical supplies, overtime and generic ones such as cellphones, catering, photocopying, travelling, the review of contracts for cost effectiveness against market rates and value for money, re-engineering of medical supply depot and the commissioning of the two studies (a review of the Folateng units and an analysis of funding for the department compared to outcomes.
In relation to payment of suppliers, the department has therefore settled approximately 99% of the total accruals that were owed. A minority of invoices relating to prior financial years but processed in the current financial year is undergoing a prepayment audit. This is to ensure that only legitimate invoices are paid after verification that goods and services have indeed been received.
The construction of the Zola/Jabulani hospital will be completed early in the new financial year. From 1 April 2013, the full package of services will be offered (OPD, casualty, surgery, medical, orthopaedics, maternity services, paediatric services, mortuary, food services, linen, theatre, administration). The hospital will be operational from this date and they will operate at between 70% and 90% capacity.
We are hopeful that the department’s efforts to improve the quality of health care for all South Africans will yield positive results in the 2013/14 financial year.
I thank you!
