Dr Keith Cloete, who was introduced as the new HoD of the Western Cape Department of Health last week, made it clear he intends to stay on course and wants to strengthen the systems already in place and deepen the gains made by his predecessor Dr Beth Engelbrech. His appointment was officially announced during a press conference at the District Six Community Health Centre on Thursday 23 January.
“It’s about relationships, it’s about interconnection, and that everyone has a voice. That means we need to be able to listen to community voices that tell us where we should go with universal health coverage.” The DA-led Western Cape government has always been clear about its support for universal healthcare for all, but is critical of the NHI Bill as the means to attain it. Western Cape MEC for Health Nomafrech Mbombo reportedly this week expressed the department’s lack of confidence in the financing system proposed in the bill.The collaboration Cloete refers to will include the private sector health providers, universities, other government departments and government workers in the other provinces.
“Our strategy is more about keeping the balance. We do not want to lose the gains we’ve made with HIV/AIDS and TB, and we want to set ourselves very steep targets which is the 90/90/90 [UNAIDS target],” he added.Cloete may be intent on staying on course, but there are several challenges he and the department will face during his term. One such challenge is the threat of potential budget cuts.
Both Cloete and Engelbrecht flagged the increased strain that violence, particularly among young men, places on the department’s available resources. “We have really skilled people in our department who can go anywhere else, but there is something that keeps them [here]. We have to remind ourselves what it is that keeps them.
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