Pretoria University, and Medunsa
Members of the Hospital Board
Leaders of the ANC led Tripartite Alliance
Hospital CEO, and Management
Senior Managers from the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development
CEOs of other Academic hospitals in the province
Clinicians present
Representatives of labour formations
Distinguished guests and ladies and gentlemen
Program director,
I must first extend apologies on behalf of the MEC who could not honour this occasion due to bereavement in her family.
Before I proceed with this speech, I need to clarify something so that the department does not get into trouble with the South African Geographical Names Council and the Minister of Arts and Culture who also happens to be my Chairperson in the provincial structures of the African National Congress.
This hospital was re-named in 1995 and due processes were followed. What we are therefore doing is not a repetition of that process.
We are “amending” the name of the hospital to reflect the exact and appropriate level of services it renders. Therefore we are not gathered here to rename the hospital.
It is appropriate that this hospital is named after Chris Hani because those who were privileged to work under him and with him often described encountering him as equivalent to a teaching platform. He epitomised excellence, just as this hospital epitomises excellence!
Some among us will opportunistically say that NO! But you people only took over this hospital when it had already excelled long before 1994.
I want to tell those people that they have no sense of history.
While this hospital was initially built from army barracks and was meant to serve the population of Soweto, it is an undeniable fact that the best specialists whether black or white, coloured, or Indian, are trained and practice at this hospital.
Program director,
The patterns of trauma that are treated at this hospital reflect conditions of the current surrounding population.
For example, in the past year, I am reliably informed that 106 175 cases of trauma were seen. It is no surprise that even trauma doctors from the Germany Defence Force are trained at this hospital.
We are therefore not only a teaching platform for Southern Africa, even developed countries such as USA, UK, Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, and Cyprus send their trauma surgeons to receive training at this hospital.
Therefore it would be appropriate to analyse service delivery at our hospitals by taking into account such realities.
Program director,
It is not my intention to brag or even boast about services that are being rendered at this hospital.
I stand up with no shame to state that the best specialists you will ever find in this country will have been trained at this hospital.
Some of them, unfortunately will not state that they are our employees when they go on other forums, even though we pay part of their salaries!
Program director,
I say this because there is a perception that public services are collapsing.
Besides the successful separation of head conjoined twins known as Mpho and Mphonyana in the eighties, we also boast of the following Centres of Excellence: Trauma unit ; Neurosurgical unit; Burns unit; Hands unit; ICU; Haematology unit; Paediatric Surgical unit; Paediatric Metabolic unit; Renal unit; Cardiology unit; and Foetal Medicine.
Miracles are performed at this hospital. This is the first hospital in the entire world to perform a toe to thumb transplant. Our surgeons are frequently invited overseas to give talks at conferences.
This hospital has won world-wide recognition for the tertiary services it provides.
Program director,
Before I take my seat allow me to state unequivocally that: This academic hospital has a dual responsibility of providing health care while searching for optimum means of providing that health care through research and teaching.
These are not mutually exclusive. We will continue to work with universities to expand the medical knowledge platform while not compromising quality of care.
Programme director,
Human dignity can never be equated with monetary value, more so, when it has to be restored. That is why we amend the name of this hospital with a sense of pride.
We are confident that as we commemorate the 18th anniversary of death of Chris Hani, his legacy and memory will not be sullied by horror stories about poor patient care at this hospital.
Programme director,
It would therefore, be a fitting tribute to Chris Hani for this hospital to continue to strive for excellence after being officially recognised as an Academic hospital.
His selflessness inspired many in our country and through- out the world. His political fortitude made him friends across the political spectrum.
The fact that many come from all over the world to be healed at this hospital also testifies to an undeniable and immutable fact that Chris Hani remains a source of inspiration to the down trodden through-out the world.
I thank you.
