The ”overwhelming majority” of people arriving at Gauteng’s clinics and hospitals seek treatment related to unhealthy lifestyles, Gauteng’s provincial minister for health said on Thursday.
”If we can change this we will make a measurable impact on all facets of healthcare delivery, including maternal health, early childhood development, coronary heart disease, many forms of cancer and HIV and Aids,” Brian Hlongwa told a media briefing in Johannesburg.
In addition, too many people are seeking treatment for diseases and complications that can be detected and corrected far sooner.
Long queues and waiting times at some facilities are often due to patients going to the wrong place for treatment.
The provincial system is under pressure from a rapidly growing number of patients, with doctors and nurses working under difficult circumstances and with limited resources.
”Many of our patients who suffer from minor ailments or who are receiving treatment for chronic conditions should be visiting primary healthcare facilities, while hospitals should only be visited by referred patients,” said Hlongwa.
He said a planned overhaul of the system will include moving staff and resources from hospitals to primary healthcare facilities. Visiting hours at clinics will also be extended to allow for diagnosis and treatment after work and during weekends.
On Aids, Hlongwa said the province’s rate of new HIV infections remains ”alarmingly high”. This is despite numerous campaigns on television, radio and billboards.
Voluntary counselling and testing will become a future focus of the department’s campaign. It also plans to increase the number of people on antiretrovirals to 70 000 by March 2008.
Hlongwa said too much time, effort and resources are spent on treatment rather than prevention and health promotion.
Healthy living has for too long been seen as the exclusive preserve of the affluent.
”Obviously we want to see the people of Sandton continue going to gyms and recreational facilities, but we also want to extend this a few hundred yards down the road into Alexandra.
”And we want to see this happening in Diepkloof and in Eersterus, in Kempton Park and in Tembisa, in Diepkloof and in Diepsloot.” — Sapa