PMR - Professional Management Review

The provision of healthcare services is all the Department of Health in Mpumalanga is focusing on this year. Since the splitting of the Department of Health and Social Services, the Health Department now stands as one entity. “This move will see the progressive realisation of improved access to basic health services for all South Africans, within available resources,” says Fish Mahlalela, MEC of Mpumalanga’s Department of Health.

“There is a need, however, to take the opportunity to explore new service delivery options and develop a transformation plan for our health sector that will enable the Province to achieve the objectives it has set for itself, including improving current services and the introduction of new, high-quality health services.”

The Health sector in Mpumalanga has been dealing with different challenges.

“Hospital services are a critical facet in the provision of health services in any public health system. Our hospitals are not well perceived and there are many challenges in the delivery of hospital services other than the obvious shortages of professionals,” he explains.

With most patients being transferred out of the Province to other hospitals, Mahlalela says a business plan is being developed for the Nelspruit Tertiary Hospital to ensure the reduction of transfers to Gauteng and poor health outcomes. “Mpumalanga deserves the same level of access to level three or tertiary services as elsewhere in the Country.”

However, the priority in addressing the competing demands for health services will be to develop a primary healthcare model in line with the service delivery framework of the National Department of Health. “This model will include the review of the current policy guidelines, norms and standards for the delivery of primary healthcare so as to improve equitable access to services. This process will be concluded by September 2008.”

Mahlalela explains that the role, responsibilities, authority and accountability of the District Health Management Team will be strengthened in order to achieve the improvement of primary health outcomes. He says the implementation of primary healthcare supervision is one of the essential strategies in improving the quality of primary healthcare services.

“During this year, we will also ensure that each clinic and community health centre will have an assigned facility manager,” he adds.

Mpumalanga’s Health Department does not want to leave the communities in the dark regarding these changes.

“In order to promote ownership of health development, the communities, through their representatives and interest groups, will be encouraged to participate in the planning, provision, control and monitoring of health services in their area. Communities will be represented in governance structures at community and district levels,” Mahlalela points out.

“It is our view that the Health Promotion sub-programme has not been receiving adequate resources or given the scope to play the crucial role necessary to provide promotive and preventive services.” The role of Health Promotion is to enable our citizens to increase control over, and improve, their health. If we increase the health literacy of our communities, they will be empowered to protect themselves against diseases of lifestyle as well as communicable diseases,” says Mahlalela.

The plan is to provide integrated services so that the Department will be able to stretch resources and strengthen health messages. The Department will facilitate the establishment of inter-sectoral healthy lifestyle forums at Provincial and District level; these will be functional by August 2008. “Thereafter, we will have 12 inter-sectoral communitybased forums promoting healthy lifestyles,” says Mahlalela.

The Department of Health’s mission is to provide and promote integrated quality health in partnership with all stakeholders to ensure healthy lifestyles in all. “We believe this approach will create a responsibility for all citizens and that is exactly what we are doing,” he concludes.