Date: 26/02/2004
Source: Department of Health
Title: M Tshabalala-Msimang: Launch the Community Health Workers Programme
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PROGRAMME, Odi Stadium, Mabopane, 26 February 2004
Honourable Health MECs
Honourable Mayor for Tshwane Metro, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa
Special guests for today
Community Health Workers
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is indeed an honour and privilege for me, on the eve of the celebration of our 10 years of democracy, to launch the Community Health Workers Programme. This is a day to honour our dear sisters and brothers who have done so much for our communities, mostly under very difficult circumstances.
This is a historic event, a dream come true given the vision of the African National Congress (ANC) during the drafting of the Health Plan. The ANC Health Plan emphasised amongst other things that "Community Health Workers can play a unique role in promoting health and improving health services, provided they have effective support and referral structures and receive on-going training"
It is clear that, even before we were in government, we already understood the enormity of the task ahead of us. We knew that, in order to extend health care services to all of our people, community health workers would have to play a pivotal role. That day has come. Today, this vision is being brought to life.
In pursuit of this vision we convened a lekgotla of community health workers from around the country to create a policy framework for the functioning of this cadre of health workers. Many of you were part of that lekgotla held in the Durban on the 30 and 31st of October 2003.
We discussed the Extended Public Works Programme, which is co-ordinated by the Department of Public Works, the Community Development Worker Programme co-ordinated by the Department of Provincial and Local Government and the Community Care Worker model within the Department of Social Development. The main aim of interrogating these models was to ensure that we moved in the same direction as different government departments. Community health workers attending the lekgotla made significant inputs into the framework for community health workers as adopted by MinMec in 2003.
Immediately after lekgotla, a task team was formed to drive the process of implementing the recommendations of lekgotla. Together with the MECs, we subsequently nominated National and Provincial community health worker champions to further co-ordinate the implementation of these recommendations.
Comrades and colleagues, it has been a long road, it has been a difficult road, but together we have held hands to get to where we are today. I am indeed proud that today, in this 10th year of our democracy; we launch the Community Health Worker Programme.
The concept of community health worker is driven by five imperatives:
* The President's articulation of a people's contract to create work and fight poverty
* Government's commitment to improve service delivery
* The national human resource and skills development strategies
* The increasing complexity of the burden of diseases and poverty-related challenges
* The increasing need for health promotion activities, community and home based care
The Department of Health sees this cadre of health workers as community-based generalist health workers. They should combine competencies in health promotion, disease prevention, primary health care and health-resource networking as well as co-ordination.
This programme will also link to the President's initiative for community development workers. There will be a partnership between government and Non Governmental Organisations. The Department of Health will provide grants to NGOs who would then employ community health workers. Community health workers will be employed by organisations in civil society and will not be government employees.
These health workers will continue to work in their local communities and visit households. They will interact with community members, determine what health or other services are needed and co-ordinate efforts to make these services available.
Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure community involvement in the recruitment and selection of community health workers. Where single purpose health supporters like (Directly Observed Treatment Strategy) DOTS supporters for TB and lay counsellors for HIV and AIDS operate, community health workers will increase their efficiency by co-ordinating these activities and interactions with communities.
Programme Director, I urge your indulgence in dealing with an issue that has led to some confusion around the role of volunteers. It is important to stress that, despite today's formalisation of the community health worker sector, there is still a need for volunteers.
Volunteers are people who render their services without an expectation of payment or reward. With human resources being one of the most scarce resources especially in rural and peri-urban areas, we need the support of volunteers to render health services. We want to commend these men and women for their spirit of selflessness and patriotism and urge them to continue supporting the provision of health and other government services.
Turning back to the subject at hand, one area of concern highlighted by community health workers during the Durban lekgotla, was vast disparities between stipends paid within and between provinces. It is for this reason that, in the policy framework, we recommend that all the estimated 40 000 community health workers in the country should receive a minimum stipend of R1 000 a month. Although it is humble, this stipend will invigorate community health workers to continue rendering this crucial service.
In conclusion allow me to highlight the following:
In August 2003, South Africa became the first country to host a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Alma Ata Declaration.
The Declaration states that: "Primary Health Care requires and promotes community and individual self-reliance and participation in the planning, organisation, operation and control of primary health care making fullest use of local, national and other available resources and to this end develops through appropriate education the ability of communities to participate".
The RDP states that: Primary Health Care System must encourage training, use and support of Community Health Workers as cost effective additional or alternative personnel".
We would be erring, however, if we do not acknowledge the work that you, community health workers, have been and continue to do. Most of you work under very trying conditions. We appreciate that you give hope to those of our people who are ill and bed-ridden. We urge you to continue being sources of life and light to our people. We urge you to continue in your patriotic spirit to bring health care to all of our people, irrespective of where they live and irrespective of their financial status.
The road has been long
The road has been difficult and rough
Let us not get weary now because the end is near,
Our goal is in sight
Comrades and colleagues
I thank you for your sweat
For your faith
And for all your commitment
Together we can bring a better life to all.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
26 February 2004
Source: Department of Health
Title: M Tshabalala-Msimang: Launch the Community Health Workers Programme
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER PROGRAMME, Odi Stadium, Mabopane, 26 February 2004
Honourable Health MECs
Honourable Mayor for Tshwane Metro, Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa
Special guests for today
Community Health Workers
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is indeed an honour and privilege for me, on the eve of the celebration of our 10 years of democracy, to launch the Community Health Workers Programme. This is a day to honour our dear sisters and brothers who have done so much for our communities, mostly under very difficult circumstances.
This is a historic event, a dream come true given the vision of the African National Congress (ANC) during the drafting of the Health Plan. The ANC Health Plan emphasised amongst other things that "Community Health Workers can play a unique role in promoting health and improving health services, provided they have effective support and referral structures and receive on-going training"
It is clear that, even before we were in government, we already understood the enormity of the task ahead of us. We knew that, in order to extend health care services to all of our people, community health workers would have to play a pivotal role. That day has come. Today, this vision is being brought to life.
In pursuit of this vision we convened a lekgotla of community health workers from around the country to create a policy framework for the functioning of this cadre of health workers. Many of you were part of that lekgotla held in the Durban on the 30 and 31st of October 2003.
We discussed the Extended Public Works Programme, which is co-ordinated by the Department of Public Works, the Community Development Worker Programme co-ordinated by the Department of Provincial and Local Government and the Community Care Worker model within the Department of Social Development. The main aim of interrogating these models was to ensure that we moved in the same direction as different government departments. Community health workers attending the lekgotla made significant inputs into the framework for community health workers as adopted by MinMec in 2003.
Immediately after lekgotla, a task team was formed to drive the process of implementing the recommendations of lekgotla. Together with the MECs, we subsequently nominated National and Provincial community health worker champions to further co-ordinate the implementation of these recommendations.
Comrades and colleagues, it has been a long road, it has been a difficult road, but together we have held hands to get to where we are today. I am indeed proud that today, in this 10th year of our democracy; we launch the Community Health Worker Programme.
The concept of community health worker is driven by five imperatives:
* The President's articulation of a people's contract to create work and fight poverty
* Government's commitment to improve service delivery
* The national human resource and skills development strategies
* The increasing complexity of the burden of diseases and poverty-related challenges
* The increasing need for health promotion activities, community and home based care
The Department of Health sees this cadre of health workers as community-based generalist health workers. They should combine competencies in health promotion, disease prevention, primary health care and health-resource networking as well as co-ordination.
This programme will also link to the President's initiative for community development workers. There will be a partnership between government and Non Governmental Organisations. The Department of Health will provide grants to NGOs who would then employ community health workers. Community health workers will be employed by organisations in civil society and will not be government employees.
These health workers will continue to work in their local communities and visit households. They will interact with community members, determine what health or other services are needed and co-ordinate efforts to make these services available.
Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure community involvement in the recruitment and selection of community health workers. Where single purpose health supporters like (Directly Observed Treatment Strategy) DOTS supporters for TB and lay counsellors for HIV and AIDS operate, community health workers will increase their efficiency by co-ordinating these activities and interactions with communities.
Programme Director, I urge your indulgence in dealing with an issue that has led to some confusion around the role of volunteers. It is important to stress that, despite today's formalisation of the community health worker sector, there is still a need for volunteers.
Volunteers are people who render their services without an expectation of payment or reward. With human resources being one of the most scarce resources especially in rural and peri-urban areas, we need the support of volunteers to render health services. We want to commend these men and women for their spirit of selflessness and patriotism and urge them to continue supporting the provision of health and other government services.
Turning back to the subject at hand, one area of concern highlighted by community health workers during the Durban lekgotla, was vast disparities between stipends paid within and between provinces. It is for this reason that, in the policy framework, we recommend that all the estimated 40 000 community health workers in the country should receive a minimum stipend of R1 000 a month. Although it is humble, this stipend will invigorate community health workers to continue rendering this crucial service.
In conclusion allow me to highlight the following:
In August 2003, South Africa became the first country to host a celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Alma Ata Declaration.
The Declaration states that: "Primary Health Care requires and promotes community and individual self-reliance and participation in the planning, organisation, operation and control of primary health care making fullest use of local, national and other available resources and to this end develops through appropriate education the ability of communities to participate".
The RDP states that: Primary Health Care System must encourage training, use and support of Community Health Workers as cost effective additional or alternative personnel".
We would be erring, however, if we do not acknowledge the work that you, community health workers, have been and continue to do. Most of you work under very trying conditions. We appreciate that you give hope to those of our people who are ill and bed-ridden. We urge you to continue being sources of life and light to our people. We urge you to continue in your patriotic spirit to bring health care to all of our people, irrespective of where they live and irrespective of their financial status.
The road has been long
The road has been difficult and rough
Let us not get weary now because the end is near,
Our goal is in sight
Comrades and colleagues
I thank you for your sweat
For your faith
And for all your commitment
Together we can bring a better life to all.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Health
26 February 2004
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
