We have in the past year been implementing a number of initiatives to improve service delivery within the department and we have considered it necessary to brief you about the progress we have achieved so far.
The most pressing challenge which has occupied our time and energy is the improvement of payment to suppliers. As we addressed this issue we have had to review our systems to identify inefficiencies and put in place strategies to improve the situation.
As a result of this work we have developed a turnaround strategy for the department and initiated the re-engineering of the Medical Supply Depot to improve the warehousing, delivery of medicines and ensure customer satisfaction. An investigation has been instituted at the Medical Supplies Depot. Recommendations derived from the investigations will be utilised in the revision of a business model for MSD.
In the past couple of weeks we have made significant progress in the payment of suppliers and service providers. At the beginning of this month we had paid and settled all debts owed to suppliers of medicines and surgical items to our medical supply depot. A total of 358 suppliers were paid R874 million on April 30. In the past week we again paid R63 million to 818 non-governmental organisations to enable then to continue their operations and assist the department in looking after vulnerable members of society.
We are now embarking on a process of improving the availability of drugs in all our clinics and hospitals. Although drug companies have continued supplying, the deliveries have not been enough to meet provincial demand. We have therefore set up a committee of five pharmacists to continually engage with suppliers to release more supplies.
Our focus is to restore the availability of fast moving drugs to three months as soon as possible. The current month to month drug supply is causing an inconvenience to patients as they have to make many trips to clinics to get their medicines.
This month has also seen us introduce the electronic gate keeping system in 20 hospitals to eliminate inefficiencies in the ordering of blood tests. This system was first piloted at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital where substantial cost savings were achieved. From December to March we realised a saving of more than R200 000 from implementing the system at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital.
The system was introduced to 20 hospitals on May 1 and we expect to see substantial savings on our budget as a result. Hospitals that are now implementing the system are Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic, Helen Joseph, Kalafong, Leratong, Rahima Moosa, South Rand, Tembisa, Edenvale, Pholosong, Dr George Mukhari Academic, Mamelodi, Jubilee, Kopanong, Bertha Gxowa, Far East Rand, Sebokeng, Tambo Memorial and Steve Biko Academic.
We have also noted encouraging progress in the last quarter of the financial year (January to April) in many service delivery areas. Immunisation of children against vaccine preventable diseases such as measles and pneumonia remains very high. We are currently running a campaign to immunise children again pneumonia and we are calling on mothers, caregivers and guardian to ensure that all children under the age of five are immunised this month.
About 20 558 (47%) women were screened for cervical cancer between January 2012 to February 2012 to reduce mortality among women from this curable condition. We continue to urge women to present themselves to health facilities for screening.
A total of 549 525 adults and 35 097 children have now been placed on Anti- retroviral therapy in the province. We are however concerned that a fewer number of men are accessing treatment and the department has embarked on initiatives with employer bodies such as mines to encourage men to test and get treatment.
We are also concerned that many women are still not booking antenatal visits within 20 weeks of pregnancy. In the last quarter only 33.4% of women booked their visits within the required period. Intensive mobilisation will need to be undertaken including door to door campaign to encourage women to consult their clinics as soon as they realise that they have missed their menstrual period.
We have also been concerned about the slow response of our ambulances. In the last quarter our ambulances managed to respond to less than half (48%) of life threatening calls in the required 15 minutes. We are in the process of appointed a chief executive officer for emergency services and we will be distributing 15 additional ambulances to improve response times.
These ladies and gentlemen are highlights of progress we have made in the last few months in our efforts to improve service delivery in the province and ensure a long and healthy life for all South Africans. A detailed report will be continued in the annual report which will be tabled in the legislature later this year.
Thank you.
Media briefing by MEC for Health Ms Ntombi Mekgwe
Province
