Most people employed in public service are hardly able to articulate Batho Pele principles. Some are intrepid enough to mention that they only treasured these principles for a while during their preparations for job interviews. What a shame! If they are unable to articulate Batho Pele principles, how will they be able to uphold and embrace these principles? If some of the people employed in public service are not upholding and embracing Batho Pele principles, will they be able to render quality service in relation to their individual and institutional service standards? If they are not able to render quality service, how does that impact on government’s performance in line with government performance targets, especially those outlined in the Millennium Development Goals? Should ordinary citizens be made aware of their rights, will the state be able to stand for legal litigation as a result of its undedicated personnel?
The above argument will fit squarely if we focus our attention on public health care service points, particularly clinics and hospitals across Limpopo. It does not require any study to reveal that Limpopo’s public health service is shrouded with avoidable challenges that one can detach them in to three cohorts: lack of skilled personnel, lack of infrastructure and staff attitude.
I accept as true that even if we are to send highly trained physicians form Cuba or other parts of the world and further procure world class medical equipment in our clinics and hospitals and leave the issue of staff attitude vague, then provision of health care in public sector will remain pandemonium.
The minister of health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi convened the Medico Legal Summit last week as government’s response to the current escalation of high litigation against the country’s health sector which, in turn, cripples the national fiscus. The summit addressed topics, which included patient safety and the impact of medico legal litigations on the recruitment of specialists. The summit still did not entertain staff attitude in public health facilities as a foremost underlying cause of the incorrect diagnosis, incorrect prescription of medication, negligence and medical procedural flaws, and that forms a huge percentage of total number of medico legal claims nationally, Limpopo not spared.
What is to be done? Civil society formations exist to bridge the gap between government and its citizens, especially the marginalised sector. To this end, it is logical for government to go back to basics as enshrined in the Freedom Charter. Furthermore, government must ensure Batho Pele Principles are translated into action through its monitoring and compliance mechanisms, parliamentary monitoring group and implementation of Public Protector’s report as emanated from her visits to hospitals in Limpopo last year.
Above all, the minister and MEC for health respectively must jointly ensure every hospital in the province and nationally has a functioning hospital board as determination by the Provincial Health Act of 1998 and the National Health Act, 61 of 2003 and not hoarding efforts to provide capacity to those hospital boards, enabling them to discharge their oversight role. Last on a list the department of health through its stakeholder mobilisation coordinators must ensure every primary health care clinic has functioning clinic committees.
Ramakola Bopape is the coordinator of Capricorn District Community-Based Organisations Forum. He writes in his personal capacity.
