Date: 06/11/2004
Title: Madlala-Routledge: Launch of Provincial Programme on Home Based Care
SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH, MRS NOZIZWE MADLALA-ROUTLEDGE, AT THE LAUNCH OF PROVINCIAL PROGRAMME ON HOME BASED CARE, Western Cape Province, Mbekweni Community Hall, Paarl
06 November 2004
It is a great pleasure for me to address you today in the beautiful surroundings of the “Boland”. I wish to thank the Western Cape MEC for Health, Minister Pierre Uys, for the invitation extended to me to join him at the launch of the provincial programme on home based care in the Western Cape.
As a country we have chosen to strengthen Primary Health Care and the District Health System. This is an ideal vehicle for the delivery of a comprehensive, integrated health care system that is in line with our motto of “health for all in the 21st century”. To this end the National Health Policy endorses the Public Health Care approach as it takes care of the health needs of the majority of South Africans through community participation. The National Health Act passed in 2003 ushers in major transformation of the health system, with a main thrust on parity, equity and justice in the delivery of health care in South Africa.
As a young democracy we face many challenges that require the collaborate efforts of communities, NGOs, the public/private sector and government. Some of these challenges are socio economic in nature such as unemployment, violence against women and children, rap, and substance abuse. These challenges are in addition to the health challenges we face like TB, Diabetes, Hypertension, HIV and many childhood diseases. It is in this light that non-governmental and governmental partnerships become useful to address these public health challenges.
We also need to ensure effective community participation, which will only be possible if communities are empowered to contribute to their health related issues. Community mobilisation is therefore necessary to deliver Primary Health Care for communities by communities.
The launch of this program today, which is the brainchild of the Government of South Africa and the European Union (EU), is a critical step towards the provision of comprehensive Primary Health Care with a specific focus on Community and Home Based Care services. Government has promised our people service delivery and to establish a people’s contract to fight poverty and create jobs.
The establishment of this programme in order to strengthen partnerships between non-profit organisations (NPOs) and the Government will see the two working as partners to ensure increased access to health services, especially for those who need home and community based care.
This programme is indicative of the kind of interaction that is needed between Government Departments and communities in order to improve the life of these communities. This project is of particular importance because it is an approach to sustain life, protecting the lives of our people and therefore the workforce of our country. It is part of our continuing effort to restore human dignity; raising awareness of the various social challenges facing us, as previously mentioned, and ensuring community involvement and participation in an effort to cement the people's contract we promised.
Government’s commitment to improve health service delivery and coverage throughout all Provinces and communities is a challenge we cannot address alone. We are grateful to the EU for their continuing and valuable support towards building our district health system. This new support, aimed at developing the community based health care cadre will strengthen further our capacity to deliver health care, especially where it is most needed.
This is a challenge to the people of the Western Cape to ensure that this initiative is carried forward and included as part the long-term provincial action plans. All sectors of our society need to join hands to create good and effective safety nets for all people who need home /community based care. This can be done through initiating relevant sustainable programmes in our communities.
Today we are celebrating the achievements of the Western Cape Province in making this programme operational. The Western Cape and Limpopo are leading the way. On behalf of myself, the Minister of Health and the National Department of Health, I wish to thank and congratulate you with your achievements in this regard.
As you know, the National Department of Health plan to embark on a wide scale implementation of this programme in all five provinces that are participating in it and we want to build on lessons learnt from these initiatives.
This will be part of a broader plan of the programme, which is one of the Department of Health’s Strategic Priorities for the next five years. I am proud to represent a Government and a Department that has taken very tangible steps to reduce poverty and inequity among our communities.
As we celebrate National Children’s Day today, we should recognise the fact that it is mostly our children, women and elderly persons who suffer due to neglect and inaccessible services. I thus wish to commend the role of NPO’s as an important one in improving access to health. This government/NPO partnership will continue to strengthen primary health care; community based care and to meet the evolving needs of individuals and families.
And, as we celebrate ten years of freedom, I wish to thank especially the people of this community who have contributed immensely to our achievement as a nation. We honour the sacrifice that the people of the Western Cape made in the struggle for freedom. I wish you well with this endeavour and to ensure you of the National Department of Health’s continuing support and guidance.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
6 November 2004
Title: Madlala-Routledge: Launch of Provincial Programme on Home Based Care
SPEECH BY THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH, MRS NOZIZWE MADLALA-ROUTLEDGE, AT THE LAUNCH OF PROVINCIAL PROGRAMME ON HOME BASED CARE, Western Cape Province, Mbekweni Community Hall, Paarl
06 November 2004
It is a great pleasure for me to address you today in the beautiful surroundings of the “Boland”. I wish to thank the Western Cape MEC for Health, Minister Pierre Uys, for the invitation extended to me to join him at the launch of the provincial programme on home based care in the Western Cape.
As a country we have chosen to strengthen Primary Health Care and the District Health System. This is an ideal vehicle for the delivery of a comprehensive, integrated health care system that is in line with our motto of “health for all in the 21st century”. To this end the National Health Policy endorses the Public Health Care approach as it takes care of the health needs of the majority of South Africans through community participation. The National Health Act passed in 2003 ushers in major transformation of the health system, with a main thrust on parity, equity and justice in the delivery of health care in South Africa.
As a young democracy we face many challenges that require the collaborate efforts of communities, NGOs, the public/private sector and government. Some of these challenges are socio economic in nature such as unemployment, violence against women and children, rap, and substance abuse. These challenges are in addition to the health challenges we face like TB, Diabetes, Hypertension, HIV and many childhood diseases. It is in this light that non-governmental and governmental partnerships become useful to address these public health challenges.
We also need to ensure effective community participation, which will only be possible if communities are empowered to contribute to their health related issues. Community mobilisation is therefore necessary to deliver Primary Health Care for communities by communities.
The launch of this program today, which is the brainchild of the Government of South Africa and the European Union (EU), is a critical step towards the provision of comprehensive Primary Health Care with a specific focus on Community and Home Based Care services. Government has promised our people service delivery and to establish a people’s contract to fight poverty and create jobs.
The establishment of this programme in order to strengthen partnerships between non-profit organisations (NPOs) and the Government will see the two working as partners to ensure increased access to health services, especially for those who need home and community based care.
This programme is indicative of the kind of interaction that is needed between Government Departments and communities in order to improve the life of these communities. This project is of particular importance because it is an approach to sustain life, protecting the lives of our people and therefore the workforce of our country. It is part of our continuing effort to restore human dignity; raising awareness of the various social challenges facing us, as previously mentioned, and ensuring community involvement and participation in an effort to cement the people's contract we promised.
Government’s commitment to improve health service delivery and coverage throughout all Provinces and communities is a challenge we cannot address alone. We are grateful to the EU for their continuing and valuable support towards building our district health system. This new support, aimed at developing the community based health care cadre will strengthen further our capacity to deliver health care, especially where it is most needed.
This is a challenge to the people of the Western Cape to ensure that this initiative is carried forward and included as part the long-term provincial action plans. All sectors of our society need to join hands to create good and effective safety nets for all people who need home /community based care. This can be done through initiating relevant sustainable programmes in our communities.
Today we are celebrating the achievements of the Western Cape Province in making this programme operational. The Western Cape and Limpopo are leading the way. On behalf of myself, the Minister of Health and the National Department of Health, I wish to thank and congratulate you with your achievements in this regard.
As you know, the National Department of Health plan to embark on a wide scale implementation of this programme in all five provinces that are participating in it and we want to build on lessons learnt from these initiatives.
This will be part of a broader plan of the programme, which is one of the Department of Health’s Strategic Priorities for the next five years. I am proud to represent a Government and a Department that has taken very tangible steps to reduce poverty and inequity among our communities.
As we celebrate National Children’s Day today, we should recognise the fact that it is mostly our children, women and elderly persons who suffer due to neglect and inaccessible services. I thus wish to commend the role of NPO’s as an important one in improving access to health. This government/NPO partnership will continue to strengthen primary health care; community based care and to meet the evolving needs of individuals and families.
And, as we celebrate ten years of freedom, I wish to thank especially the people of this community who have contributed immensely to our achievement as a nation. We honour the sacrifice that the people of the Western Cape made in the struggle for freedom. I wish you well with this endeavour and to ensure you of the National Department of Health’s continuing support and guidance.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Health
6 November 2004
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