Health
4 December 2007
Immunisation coverage of children under the age of one in Gauteng has
increased from 83 percent to 91 percent.
This was highlighted by Gauteng Health MEC, Brian Hlongwa during the debate
of the annual report of his department in the provincial legislature on
Tuesday, 4 December 2007.
"In order to maintain this momentum we have ensured that everyday is
immunisation day at our primary health care facilities. We have also
intensified a programme to immunise children between the age of six months and
15 years at our hospitals and children's homes in order to ensure that those
who might have missed immunisation do not fall victim to preventable
illnesses," said Hlongwa.
During the year under review, in order to reduce maternal deaths, the
department established a dedicated maternal and neonatal clinical care unit. On
this issue, Hlongwa emphasised the importance of expectant mothers to attend
ante-natal clinics so as to be able to identify complications early.
Approximately 101 000 women were screened for cervical cancer, this amounted
to a 61 percent increase from the 2005/06 financial year. Approximately 8 861
women had mammography performed to detect breast cancer.
Other highlights of the 2006/07 Annual Report include:
* Voluntary Counselling and Testing is now offered at all Gauteng Primary
Health Care facilities. More than 252 000 people were tested.
* Ninety eight percent of health facilities now offer the Prevention of
Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV programme. The department will soon
introduce dual therapy.
* Gauteng has 47 accredited sites where Anti-Retroviral Therapy is
provided.
* One hundred and fifteen non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that provide
home based care were funded. The department has taken measures to ensure that
these NGOs are accountable in order to eliminate problems that are associated
with non-compliance which in some cases has resulted in delays in the transfer
of grants.
* Post-Exposure Prophylaxis is now offered at 58 facilities which is an
increase from 52 in the previous financial year.
* The overall cure rate for TB has improved from 64 to 69 percent.
* Visits to clinics saw over two million visits for hypertension, 472 847
visits for diabetes and 144 094 visits for epilepsy.
* A total of 519 948 incidents were responded to â 44 percent of these were
priority one cases. The percentage of priority one cases that were responded to
within 15 minutes increased from 54 to 59 percent. The department have
undertaken measures to address those areas that affect our rapid response
times.
The report also highlights the shortage of health professionals, as in the
year under review the department filled 22 900 critical posts out of 27 140
vacancies.
Hlongwa is confident that the achievements of his department will improve
during the current financial year regardless of financial constraints.
"Within the budgetary constrains that face us, our health services continue
being rendered. We have not sat back and moaned about insufficient budget
allocations. We have been innovative in many instances in order to ensure that
the people receive the best medical care available," said Hlongwa.
Enquiries:
Zanele Mngadi
Cell: 082 330 1148
Issued by: Department of Health, Gauteng Provincial Government
4 December 2007
