Good morning
We would like to share with you our experiences and lessons we have learned during our visit to Cuba, United States of America and United Kingdom.
The purpose of my visit to Cuba was to attend a joint meeting of Deans of Medical Schools from Cuba and South Africa, among other things, to discuss the integration of South African medical students who study in Cuba but do their final year and internship programme in South Africa.
Since its inception in 1997, the South Africa-Cuban programme has produced 246 doctors, 80 scholarships a year are awarded to learners. 354 are currently studying in Cuba.
The joint meeting was a result of concerns about the said student’s limited clinical exposure while in Cuba, which impact negatively on their integration into the South African medical fraternity. The universities which are involved in the training of the said students are Limpopo, Pretoria, Wits, Nelson Mandela, University of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch and Walter Sisulu.
The purpose of the joint meeting of Deans of Medical Schools from Cuba and South Africa was:
* To explore ways of strengthening the training programme of South African students in Cuba
* To exchange information and ideas about the medical curriculum that is provided in South Africa and in Cuba
* To highlight and address the challenges that has been experienced in the programme.
I was accompanied by some Deans from Medical Schools in South Africa who participated in discussions. This visit to Cuba formed part of a review process of the training of South African medical students in Cuba. Unfortunately others could not make it as a result of this visit being undertaken at short notice. Pretoria, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, UCT and Walter Sisulu universities were represented. The Committee of Medical Deans (COMD) had sent representatives of four of the eight faculties of health sciences, with one dean and one deputy dean amongst them. The committee has been meeting to discuss the issue of the review of the programme, and the outcome of that discussion formed part of the mandate of the COMD representatives.
I have also noted that the COMD consider the review of the programme to be a very important process, as well as their request to be formally included in the review process, including the planning, decision-making and implementation processes that would be part of a comprehensive approach on this matter.
I have also noted that most of the challenges they encounter in their component of the training programme are universal in nature and that for some of those challenges they would need our support and intervention to a significant degree.
The meeting of the SA-Cuban Deans of Medical Schools agreed to create a joint commission with the three Cuban faculties and work on a draft plan of action for the next 12 months.
The South African delegation proceeded to Washington DC where we had been invited by the Corporate Council on Africa, to make a presentation on our preparedness for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as well as our readiness for investment and trade with the world, particularly the United States of America. The Corporate Council on Africa is at the forefront of strengthening and facilitating the commercial relationship between the United States and the African continent.
South Africa has pulled out all stops to prepare for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, from the time when President Mandela received the good news from Mr Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, that South Africa will be the first country in Africa to host this important event to date when we confidently tell the world that we are ready for the games.
Preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup resulted in huge investments by our country in the development and improvement of infrastructure such as new emergency medical service stations, renovation of hospitals and clinics, improved roads, airports and sports stadium. Preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup created work opportunities for our people, business and investment opportunities for various companies and industries, and made it imperative that we scale up training programs for people in various sectors, for example in the tourism, hospitality and building industry, and in the health sector.
In the health sector, we invested over R1 billion in buildings, emergency vehicles, medical equipment, training of essential support staff and health professionals over the last year four years. The public health sector played a leading role in these preparations, ensuring that the FIFA Local Organising Committee, the private health sector and the South African Military Health Service are working together to guarantee seamless delivery of health services during the tournament. We have made considerable progress in our implementation of programs to improve quality of health services. We are confident that there is greater consensus amongst stakeholders in the health sector on quality standards that will be used in private and public health facilities.
We have identified public health facilities in which there are active projects to immediately improve six priority areas of quality, namely:
* values and attitudes
* waiting times
* cleanliness of facilities
* patient safety
* infection prevention and control
* availability of drugs and pharmaceuticals.
We have also made progress and are on target with the development of our policies on medical tourism. We are confident that this will be concluded soon to assist us to grow this important aspect of health care.
Our final stop was in the United Kingdom to explore possibilities of ongoing links with United Kingdom (UK) government and Institutions in the field of quality assurance and improvement, as part of the 10-point plan. We also wanted to access current thinking and expertise in an area where the UK has invested in a major way in terms of policy and legislative initiatives as well as institution-building for improved accountability. The UK’s focus on development of standards and assessment of interventions and technologies is internationally recognised.
I am confident that as the work we have done in Cuba, USA and UK will benefit the national Department of Health and entire health sector in South Africa.
Thank you.
Enquiries:
Charity Bhengu
Cell: 083 679 7424
Issued by: Department of Health
1 April 2010
