In June last year we launched Operation Kuyasheshwa la to stabilise, improve, and sustain the quality of services delivered in our hospitals and clinics.
One of the key components of this operation was the filling of senior management positions where they affected service delivery. At the time we said: “Temporary deployments and acting positions shall be filled with fulltime appointed staff within the next six months”.
I am therefore pleased to announce that we have been able to meet this deadline. We have been able to appoint full time chief executive officers at Chris Hani Baragwanath, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic, Kalafong, Far East Rand and Sebokeng hospitals.
The new chief executive officers are Ms Johanna More for Chris Hani Baragwanath, Dr Tiego Selebano for Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic, Dr Lancelot Phalatsi for Kalafong, Dr Lekopane Mogaladi for Far East Rand and Dr Zolela Ngcwabe for Sebokeng.
Ms More previously worked at the central office and has been commended by all stakeholders for the excellent work she has been doing at Chris Hani Baragwanath while acting as the chief executive officer. We look forward to further improvements now that she is occupying the position on a full time basis.
We have recruited Dr Selebano from Netcare and we are pleased that he has chosen to join the public sector where he can make a difference in the health of the majority. Dr Mogaladi was running his own private practice and we welcome him in public service. We believe that he will help us improve the quality of healthcare at the Far East Rand hospital.
Dr Phalatsi is no stranger to Kalafong as he was the hospital’s clinical manager before he took up the acting chief executive officer position last year. We believe that he will continue ensuring that hospital users receive quality healthcare. We also believe that Dr Ngcwabe who has been acting chief executive officer at Far East Rand will be able to ensure that services at Sebokeng hospital continue to improve.
We have also been able to intervene in hospitals where we identified a need to strengthen management. In these instances we have conducted competency assessment and placed them according to their strengths. Based on the above criteria, managers in these hospitals have been placed at central office or regional offices and new managers deployed.
Dr Sandile Mfenyana, who was acting chief executive officer at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg has been redeployed to Tembisa hospital, Dr Sehularo Gaelejwe, who was in the Johannesburg region, has been deployed to Natalspruit. Dr Raymond Billa has been redeployed from Chris Hani Baragwanath to Sterkfontein hospital.
In the next phase to strengthen management in the areas of finance, clinical and nursing, Pholosong and Tambo memorial hospitals will be prioritised.
I would to state that we have seen some improvement since the launch of Operation Kuyasheshwa-la six months ago although much can still be achieved. For instance the availability of medication has improved to 92 percent through improved monitoring and weekly recording of stock-outs. The mobile therapeutic vehicles that we launched last month to make emergency deliveries of medication are assisting to maintain high levels of drugs.
Long queues continue to be a challenge. We are working on this and a report will be given when we deliver our budget speech later this year. The management support team from central office continues to visit institutions unannounced and to solve problems on the spot where they encounter them.
It is my expectation that the chief executive officers we have appointed will contribute towards improvement of the management of our institutions and ensure better quality of care to patients. I expect them to manage by walking around so that they may be visible to all staff and enable then to identify and solve problems at service delivery points.
I wish all new chief executive officers good luck in their new posts and I am hopeful that they will make a difference in their new areas of work. I am also pleased to announce that our doctors at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg hospital have performed a liver transplant on an indigent patient, Ntombikayise Cindi.
This is the first state patient to receive a transplant in our public hospitals in Gauteng. Previously liver transplants on state patients were done at Groote Schuur only while medical aid patient could get it in the private sector. This operation again proves the high level of professional skills we have in the public sector in Gauteng.
I thank you.
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
28 January 2010
