16 March 2007
The Northern Cape Department of Health hosted its first provincial Community
Health Worker Summit at the Jimmy Summers Hall in Kimberley over the
weekend.
On Friday, MEC Shiwe Selao welcomed the 250 attendees, including Community
Health Workers, as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations
(NGOs) and the private sector.
Selao stated that the province has now progressed from an early HIV epidemic
into one of which the full impact of morbidity is beginning to be felt and that
at the same time, the health system is becoming massively overburdened.
"The disease burden will increase substantially over the next few years, as
more of the population becomes symptomatic, requiring numerous hospital
admissions and primary health care consultation."
Selao further mentioned a number of other challenges facing healthcare in
the province, including limited healthcare resources such as insufficient
medical and nursing staff, as well as the cost of institutional care.
In response to the challenges, Selao said the time has now come to take
community health service delivery to another level.
"As more people become ill with AIDS-related diseases and other chronic
conditions, many are not able to stay in hospitals and home has become a more
appropriate place for care,â she said, adding that through the resolutions
taken at the summit, the gaps that still exist in the healthcare sector should
be narrowed.
"This summit will ensure that the burden of the HIV epidemic is decreased
and that the ability of the health system to cope with provisions of adequate
care and support activities is increased."
According to Selao, community based organisations and Community Health
Workers are critical partners in the successful implementation of government
programmes and as support for the nation's strategic HIV and AIDS plan.
"Let us not underestimate the power of clean water, soap, essential
medicines, and caring hands to improve matters."
Enquiries:
Shelley Fielding
Tel: (053) 830 2000
Cell: 083 701 7191
Issued by: Department of Health, Northern Cape Provincial Government
16 March 2007
