By Jonews Reporter
THE Gauteng health department is planning to build a new district hospital in Zola, Soweto later this year.
Speaking at the provincial health summit in Johannesburg last Friday, Gauteng health MEC, Gwen Ramokgopa said the new hospital would ease the pressure felt at the Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital
In addition to the hospital, two new clinics costing R2.7 million will also be built this year "to improve access to quality primary health care".
Ramokgopa said nearly R10.3 million has been set aside to cater for the upgrading of Hillbrow community health centre and construction of phase two of Orange Farm's Stretford community health centre is expected to start this year.
"The decision to build more new facilities follows an increase in the number of people using public clinics to access health care," said a statement by the Health Department. And according to statistics by the department, the total number of people using these primary care facilities has increased from 4.1 million in 1997 to 13.2 million in 2001/2002.
"We have to build on the confidence that the people have shown in our primary health facilities by ensuring that we keep them in good condition. Now is the time to roll up our sleeves and work to ensure that the gains we have made in improving the health of our people are sustained," said Ramokgopa.
Meanwhile, a survey conducted by the Wits School of Public Health and the Gauteng Health Department has established that the majority of children in the province "are safe from the risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases such as TB, polio, hepatitis B, diphtheria and measles".
According to the survey, 79% of children aged between nine and 24 months are fully immunised. Speaking at the summit, Ramokgopa welcomed the findings of the survey as a sign that the health of children in the province has improved.
"The results of this survey show that there is about seven percent improvement in our immunisation coverage. This means our immunisation campaigns are reaching more children and Gauteng is a better place for children to grow up in," said Ramokgopa.
A total of 220 children from formal and informal settlements were surveyed and it was established that close to four in five (79.13%) of parents use public health clinics to immunise their children.
