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During his recent visit, 15 to 16 September 2011 to the United Kingdom (UK), Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi met with senior representatives from the Department for International Development (Dfid) where an additional £17m (R198 million) was committed to South Africa’s Maternal and Child Health Care Programme.

Recognising the significance of this contribution the Minister said, “This support from the UK government will enable us to make great progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

The funds will be used to strengthen maternal and child health service delivery through the following outputs:

* Districts able to oversee improvement of reproductive, maternal and child (RMCH) health services
* Strengthened delivery of school health, municipal ward-based primary health care, and obstetric and neonatal emergency services
* Improved demand and accountability for RMCH services
* New knowledge to remove barriers to uptake and access RMCH services

The Minister gloated about the fact that Dfid is still funding another programme viz. Strengthening South Africa’s Revitalised Response to Health and HIV (SARRAH 2010 to 2014) to the tune of £25m (approximately R250 million), an additional £17m (R198 million) underlines the confidence the UK government has in the healthcare programmes being developed in South Africa.

South African High Commissioner to the UK, Dr Zola Skweyiya welcomed the support shown by the UK government stating that “it further strengthens the longstanding and deeply entrenched relationship between South Africa and the UK and that this type of ongoing support is extremely helpful to us achieving our health goals as the government of South Africa strives to improve the lives of all South Africans.”

During the visit the Minister also met with the following stakeholders:

* The Quality Care Commission
* Thegovernment authority handling medical litigation
* The National Health System
* Colleges of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists and family practice

Furthermore the Minister met with 30 South African nurses currently working in the UK, who indicated a desire and willingness to come back home and work in SA.

In November 2011, ten inspectors from South Africa will be trained by the UK’s Care Quality Commission in preparation for the office of standards compliance activities that will make sure health facilities meet standards of quality.

The Minister concluded his visit with an address at the prestigious Chatham House Think-Tank, where he talked about the current healthcare reforms underway in South Africa. Tom Cargill, Director for the Africa Programme at Chatham House said that “it was an honour to have the Minster address the Chatham House members on such important and relevant issues”.