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HEALTH SECTOR STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK 1999 - 2004 |
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Our Vision
is a caring and humane society in which all South Africans have access to affordable, good quality health care.
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Our Mission
is to consolidate and build on the achievements of the past five years in improving access to health care for all and reducing inequity, and to focus on working in partnership with other stakeholders to improve the quality of care of all levels of the health system, especially preventive and promotive health, and to improve the overall efficiency of the health care delivery system.
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Preface
This document sets out the strategic thrust of the health sector for the period 2000-2004. It will form the basis of more detailed and province-specific plans - which will be
operationalised through annual business or operational plans.
This strategic framework builds on our understanding of our current strengths and weaknesses and relates these to our vision of the future. The document has to be read in conjunction with others, particularly:
- The Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) - 1995;
- The ANC's National Health Plan, 1995;
- The White Paper on the Transformation of the Health System - April 1997;
- Review of Public Health Service Delivery - June 1999; and
- Demographic and Health Survey - June 1999.
We also drew from the lessons of many other discussions, conferences, reports and publications of the past 5 years.
The key message that constitutes the essence of what we have to do in the coming years is the need to:
- consolidate achievements in improving access to care and advancing equity;
- deal decisively with the HIV/AIDS epidemic and its ramifications which threatens to undo our developmental gains;
- stabilise the hospital sector, including the need to promote greater efficiency and consider additional sources of funding for this sector; and
- adopt a multidimensional approach to ensure steady improvement in quality of care.
The overarching strategies that are critical for our success include:
- the need to strengthen partnerships with communities, key stakeholders, the private sector,
NGOs and CBOs and;
- to build an accountable public health sector geared towards improving the standard of health care delivery to ensure a healthier nation, rallying under the banner of Batho Pele.
This document represents the shared views of my colleagues the MECs for Health from all the nine provinces. I thank them sincerely for their co-operation. We believe that the implementation of this programme will add further impetus to our project of a 'better life for all". It will also lay a solid foundation for our country as we enter the African Century. I hope that this will provide a rallying point for all of us particularly the health workers as we tackle the challenge of transforming our country.
Dr M.E Tshabalala Msimang
Minister of Health