10 December 2007
The Provincial Legislature took Parliament to the people at the Nangoza Jebe
hall, in New Brighton recently.
The objectives of taking Legislature were to encourage people to listen to
the deliberations in the Legislature and its committees, and to listen to the
people's concerns relating to service delivery matters.
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan residents had an opportunity of directly asking
questions of clarity to the various Portfolio Committees and the Members of the
Executive Council.
The Honourable MEC for Health, Mrs Nomsa Jajula, had promised people that
her department would impenitently make sure that there was better life for
all.
She was responding to the questions related to the shortage of nurses, drugs
in health centres as well as non availability of ambulances.
Residents were also concerned about the congestion of different patients
with different sicknesses in one ward and the escalation of the HIV
pandemic.
"HIV and AIDS is not only the government's responsibility but everybody's
responsibility to make sure that they use condoms, abstinence or having one
love partner" said Jajula.
She also encouraged people to know their status "We plead with the people
not to be shy and to get help as early as possible before their CD 4 count
deteriorates," she said.
Responding to the question of poor diet in hospitals, she assured people
that the department was in a process of hiring catering companies that would
serve patients healthy food.
She also encouraged parents to motivate their children to study mathematics
and Physical Science so as to assist in strengthening the medical field. She
said those who were studying towards medicine would automatically be employed
after finishing their studies. Mrs Jajula guaranteed people that the Multi Drug
Resistant (MDR) and Extreme Drug Resistant (XDR) patients could never be placed
in one ward.
Issued by: Department of Health, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
10 December 2007
Source: Eastern Cape Provincial Government (http://www.ecdoh.gov.za)
