In an effort to strengthen and ensure the delivery of quality primary healthcare, more than eight thousand home visits were done by clinic outreach teams across the province. In the period March to December 2012, 8 462 households were visited and 7 682 patients were treated. Out of these, 1 499 patients were referred to hospitals for specialized treatment and care.
To further strengthen primary health care and to reduce the pressure on tertiary institutions, the department has extended service hours of some Community Health centres (CHCs) up to 24 hours.
All CHCs and clinics now provide services for patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, epilepsy TB and those on ARV treatment. In addition, 300 Community Health workers (CHWs) were trained during this period. CHWs monitor patients regularly and deliver medication at their homes helping in reducing waiting times at public health facilities.
Five district Clinical Specialist Teams were also established to address challenges of maternal deaths in the province. These teams which comprises of obstetricians, gynecologists, professional nurses, midwives and anesthetists work closely with regional and tertiary Hospitals to improve referrals.
Gauteng Department of Health MEC Hope Papo says, “We are happy that people now have confidence in our primary health care system. We however urge more people to use the appropriate levels of care to avoid inconveniences such as long queues.”
Enquiries:
Simon Zwane
Cell: 082 551 9892
