In agreement: Jabu Rakosa, the City's deputy director for primary health care; Professor Paul Danckwerts, head of the department of pharmacy and pharmacology at Wits; Dr Refik Bismilla, the director of health; Vusi Mazibuko, head of the City's pharmaceutical services; and Councillor Prema Naidoo, member of the mayoral committee for health

RELATED LINKS: Hillbrow healthcare precinct on track Read more A health check for Hillbrow The Johannesburg Development Agency is spearheading the development of a healthcare precinct, together with the University of the Witwatersrand's reproductive health research unit and the City of Johannesburg. Read more Health WHILE the City of Johannesburg is responsible for some aspects of health services, many are still rendered by the Gauteng provincial government. But there are plans afoot to devolve more and more of these services to the City. Read more Pharmaceutical services unit PHARMACEUTICAL Services is responsible for procuring and supplying primary health care drugs to all health sub-districts in Joburg. Read more

City and Wits sign another partnership JOBURG'S pharmaceuticals unit will work closely with Wits University's pharmacy department to improve its services to the people of the city. December 7, 2005 By Anish Abraham AS it constantly strives to provide a better service for the City's people, Johannesburg's pharmaceutical services unit has entered into a partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand to work together in a wide variety of areas. The City and Wits' department of pharmacy and pharmacology signed a memorandum of understanding at the end of November to improve the quality of healthcare services delivered to residents. Councillor Prema Naidoo, member of the mayoral committee for health; Dr Refik Bismilla, director of health; Vusi Mazibuko, head of pharmaceutical services; Jabu Rakosa, the City's deputy director for primary health care; and Professor Paul Danckwerts, head of the department of pharmacy and pharmacology at Wits, were present at the signing. "The City of Johannesburg, in its quest to become a world-class African City, is forging partnerships with various countries and academic institutions in order to achieve par excellence in the delivery of goods and services to its citizens," Mazibuko said. Wits University was chosen, not only because it is located in the city, but because of its reputation for being at the cutting edge of technology. The City also has a partnership with the university in public health, and with the University of North-West for training its environmental health officers. Mazibuko said such co-operation was needed, as medicines were the second largest cost component in delivering healthcare services, after the cost of human resources. "Another important driving force for this partnership is the need for quality research in the field of medicines that is imposed by the changing disease profile due to the HIV/Aids pandemic." Mazibuko said the areas of collaboration would include, but were not limited to: Research on efficient and effective treatment outcomes through proper drug management and better lifestyles; Research on cost-containment in the medicines supply chain management; Perception management of clients; Experiential and empirical learning at City facilities by Wits students; and Exchange of information and knowledge by both institutions. "There will be ongoing monitoring and evaluations of this partnership by both institutions." Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za