Date: 29/03/2004
Source: Ministry of Health
Title: M Tshabalala-Msimang: Gala dinner for launch of Medical Assistant Programme


SPEECH PRESENTED BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR M TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, AT THE GALA DINNER FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE MEDICAL ASSISTANT PROGRAMME
29 March 2004

Programme Director
Honoured Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen.

All protocol observed

This is indeed a very historic event and I am honoured to welcome you this evening. Our hearty and proudly South African welcome particularly goes to our distinguished guests from Atlanta, Washington DC in the USA and Tanzania who have come to share their experience with us today.

We are also very grateful and we extend our warm welcome to our sponsors, the European Union and MSD who made tonight's event possible. Without their generous support, this event would not have been as glamorous as it is.

We are gathered tonight to let our hair down after long and fruitful deliberations during the day. I am sure that today, most of us especially our guests from outside South Africa, experienced a unique and growing South African tradition of creating a viable health system through partnerships and frank exchange of ideas.

From the dawn of our democracy we have been building and nurturing this tradition of bringing together stakeholders to emerge with solutions to our political, social and economic needs. Indeed, as we celebrate the first ten years of democracy this year, we are acutely aware of the role that this culture of dialogue played to help us attain the current dispensation. This is a tradition we aim to keep.

I do hope that as we socialise this evening, we will talk more about how as South Africans we will make this new cadre of medical/physician assistants' work.

I hope we will also discuss how each one of us will contribute towards making this exciting but challenging venture a reality. As discussed during the day, the road to making this venture a success will be long and full of challenges. I am, however, convinced that in our unique and proudly- South African way, we will, all of us, oil the wheels that should make the implementation easier.

As I mentioned in my speech this morning, this cadre of health workers will not replace any existing category of health professionals. But it will strengthen their functioning by taking some work from the doctors so that they can concentrate on more specialised duties associated with their profession.

Our primary goal is make sure that quality health care is accessible to all South Africans.

This programme, if properly managed, will strengthen delivery of Primary Health Care services, increase access to quality health care for all, ease congestion in tertiary health services and create more job opportunities.

Tonight, I invite you to participate in another good South African tradition - partying. I hope that you will all relax, get to know one another and enjoy the hospitality of this magnificent land of ours. Let us all have a good time.

I thank you.

Issued by: Ministry of Health
29 March 2004