Department of Health launches European Union (EU) partnership on Primary Healthcare
26 February 2009
Department of Health in Mpumalanga will tomorrow, Friday, 27 February 2009, officially launch the partnership programme with the European Union (EU) aimed at enhancing access to health services in the province.
The EU has injected R45 million on this programme which amongst other things is aimed at, strengthening of District Health System by training not-for-profit organisations to provide community based care which will level below the clinic, introduction of community based health workers and contribute towards training and development of our communities.
The community health workers will be trained to deliver the full primary health package which includes services such as nutrition, health promotion, maternal and child care, mental health, tuberculosis (TB), and all diseases of health style. They will further serve as a referral point of patient to and from upper levels of care and also provide counselling services to the community.
Utilising this grant, we have already funded 60 not-for-profit organisations in the three district of the province broken down as follows, Ehlanzeni 30, Gert Sibande 19 and Nkangala 11.
This has created 194 job opportunities for management teams of these non-profit organisations (NPOs) who earn between R2 500 to R3 000 a month, and has further created job opportunities for 1 017 people working as home based carers.
This partnership programme will run until 2011, and will be reviewed with possible extension pending its impact in improving access to healthcare by communities.
The event will be held as follows:
Date: Friday 27 February 2009
Time: 10h00
Venue: Ntunda Trust in the Nkomazi Municipality
For more information contact:
Mpho Gabashane
Cell: 082 802 4937
Sipho Motau
Cell: 082 567 0188
Issued by: Department of Health, Mpumalanga Provincial Government
