16 March 2009
Teams of officials will fan out to health facilities throughout Eastern Cape
next week to identify bottlenecks in delivery, the provincial health department
said on Friday.
Spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said the move was ordered by MEC Pemmy Majodina, to
whom the officials would report directly. He said 60 officials would be in the
field for the next month and a half, visiting hospitals and clinics and talking
to patients and communities.
The department spent close on R500 million a year on medicines, yet there
were regular complaints that they were not available at clinics. There were
also ongoing complaints about service levels at hospitals. The officials would
report to Majodini every two weeks, and give her a comprehensive report at the
end of the exercise.
Kupelo said the initiative had nothing to do with next month's general
election. âThere are many projects coming. In fact we are opening 15 clinics
before the elections,â he said.
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
16 March 2009
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecprov.gov.za/)
