​


Gauteng Health Comms.


On Tuesday, February 25, Gauteng Premier
David Makhura delivered the State of the Province Address at a special sitting
at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, in Tshwane, where he made
pronouncements on various issues. 


 


Premier Makhura said access to healthcare was
an important measure of human development and as such the Gauteng Province continues
to make headways on life expectancy, “the most important measurement of the
health of any nation”.


 


“In 2009, Gauteng life expectancy was at 57.2
years for women and 53.5 years for men. This has now increased to 67.7 years
for women and 61.5 years for men in 2019,” said Premier Makhura.


 


“We are also making remarkable progress
towards realising the UNAIDS goal of ending AIDS by the year 2030. And in
addition to that, Gauteng has reduced Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV from
9.3% in 2009 to 0,7% in 2019”, added the Premier Makhura.


 


Furthermore, Premier said “In the last State
of the Province Address, we identified the filling of vacancies of CEOs in
hospitals and community health centres as a priority. We have appointed new
CEOs for 12 hospitals. The remaining three hospitals will have new CEOs in May
this year,” said the Premier proudly.


 


Premier Makhura also informed the sitting
that Department of Health has delivered on its commitment to provide 24-hour
services in all 32 community health centres that operate in the five corridors
of the Gauteng City Region. 


 


“We are focusing on improving patient
experience and enhancing the safety of our professionals and health workers in all
facilities. We are rolling the implementation of lean management principles in
order to improve patient experience and this has already delivered impressive
results in Leratong and Charlotte Maxeke hospitals,” said Makhura. 


 


In addition, the Premier said the province
was fast-tracking the rollout of ICT “in our healthcare facilities. By 2025,
all patient records will be digitised in Gauteng and paper files will be
history.”  


 


On medico-legal claims and litigation, the Premier
said: “We are happy to report that the Provincial Government, through the
Premier’s special litigation unit, is now cracking down on the syndicates that
have been making fraudulent claims.” 


 


“In the current financial year, we have
reduced contingent liabilities by more than R2 billion through the meticulous
management of the litigation process,” he added. 


 


The Department of Health is now resolving
more claims through mediation, which has led to the improved management of
cases and fostering higher levels of trust between the state and the public,
said the Premier.  


 


With regards to health infrastructure, Premier
Makhura said in the next 24 months, 10 priority hospitals will undergo major
renovations. “We will also complete the construction of five new clinics and
new community health centres in the various corridors so that they can provide
much-needed health services during this year.”


 


We are happy to report that, through
public-private partnership projects, approved and supported by the national
Department of Health, six new Hospitals will be built during this decade.


 


“Despite all major challenges our public health system
faces, it is evident it is on the right course towards full recovery.  Whilst we are not yet out of the woods, we
are on the road to swift recovery,” said Makhura.