Transport Minister Jeff Radebe avoided contentious issues during his first public event as acting health minister on Friday.
Opening the newly built Pretoria Academic Hospital, Radebe focused on programmes to improve hospital infrastructure around the country.
”There are at least 29 hospitals where construction is currently under way as part of the revitalisation programme, with a budget of R1,2-billion in the current financial year and increasing to R2-billion in the next year,” he said.
However, in an off-hand remark not included in his written speech, Radebe said he had already met with Deputy Minister of Health Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, director general Thamsanqa Dennis Mseleku and senior managers in the department to look at ways of ”intensifying” the implementation of health programmes.
”On that you will hear from me, sooner rather than later,” he added.
Radebe was appointed as acting health minister earlier this week.
Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang was admitted to the high-care ward of the Johannesburg General Hospital last week, where she is receiving treatment for anaemia and residual pleural effusion, an excess of fluid around the lungs.
She was admitted to the same hospital last year for several weeks after reportedly suffering from a lung infection. — Sapa