Remarks by Dr Chana Pilane-Majake, Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration at the Public Health Symposium on 7 September 2018 at Pietermaritzburg in KZN
Premier Willies Mchunu
MEC for Health, Sibongiseni Dlomo
Senior Government Officials
Distinguished Guests;
It is indeed exciting for all of us today to come together to share critical information about one of our government key programmes.
One of the fundamental responsibilities of any government across the globe, is to ensure the provision of basic services to its citizens.
It is indeed an inherent obligation of any government.
At the core of this service delivery machinery, is a cohort of public servants. Public servants are at the coalface of service delivery programmes.
In this context that we are gathered here today to commemorate the 2018 Public Service Month which got underway on the 1st September 2018 and will conclude by end of this month.
We commemorate this year’s Public Service Month under the theme, Thuma Mina – Taking Public Service to the People: Batho Pele: We Belong, We Care, We Serve.
In recognition of the role played by public servants, Public Service Month is set aside to honour men and women who serve our citizens across the three spheres of government.
Public Service Month is used as a reality-check on how government delivers services to our people. It is one thing to deliver service but it is another how those services are delivered.
Government uses Public Service Month to asses if the public servants are still complying with the letter and spirit of Batho Pele Principle. Batho Pele means people first.
Through the Public Service Month, government and public servants utilize this opportunity to assess how to improve service delivery programmes for realization of Public Service Month vision.
PSM Vision is about:
instilling and rebuilding good ethics and professionalism in public servants;
recommitting and rededicating public servants to Batho Pele Principles.
Our Constitutional democracy is very explicit on the type of Public Administration we should have.
The Constitution guides that Public Administration must have high standard of professionalism ethical; be accompanied by behavior that is development-oriented and accountable.
Furthermore, our country’s blueprint, the National Development Plan (NDP), places an obligation to build a Public Service that supports a capable and developmental state.
We therefore have a responsibility, as we commemorate Public Service Month and beyond, to put the building blocks in place for this ideal public service.
The 2018 Public Service Month commemorations are underway in a year in which we celebrate the centenary of the late former President Nelson Mandela and Mama Albertina Sisulu, who dedicated their lives to the fight for the liberation of our people.
Mama Albertina Nontsikelelo Sisulu was a fearless champion of democracy and human rights. We celebrate her centenary under the theme is: Albertina Sisulu – A woman of fortitude, in recognition of her courage, discipline, integrity and love for her country.
MaSisulu herself was a dedicated public servant (a nurse) who started her career in Johannesburg in 1946. True to the spirit of Batho Pele during the dark years of apartheid, she went an extra mile in carrying out her job by often walking to visit patients in townships.
The centenary year of Tata Mandela offers us as a country and as a Public Service, an opportunity to reflect on the values he espoused. Madiba dedicated his life to serving humanity. We can honour his legacy by emulating him.
Service delivery from the health perspective currently focuses on the National Health Insurance (NHI) that promote quality universal health for all citizens of South Africa � both rich and poor.
The road towards development of NHI has been met with criticism, mainly from beneficiaries of few mostly private expensive health care systems that benefits the rich.
Allow me to provide you with a practical demonstration of how government has proven these critics wrong. When government mooted the idea of a medical aid scheme for public servants and their families, there were critics who said such a scheme will not succeed.
When Government wanted to establish the Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS), the idea was highly criticized by the Private Sector with huge stake in private medical aid schemes.
Despite the criticism, government went ahead and formulated the relevant regulations and policies. The beginning of GEMS was a historic moment when in 2002, Cabinet approved a framework policy on a restricted (closed) medical scheme. A move that saw all public servants being fully catered for medical attention.
The mandate of GEMS continues to be helping public service employees and their families to get the best possible healthcare at the most affordable rate.
Before GEMS was introduced:
Many public servants could not afford medical cover;
Belonging to a medical scheme was continuously becoming more expensive;
Employees did not receive the best value for their money amongst others.
The implementation of GEMS also sets an example to other employers by demonstrating that innovative medical benefits can be made available to all employees.
Government is now able to protect the interests of public servants through its representation on the GEMS board of trustees.
As the country works towards the full implementation of the National Health Insurance, it is important that every citizen of our country is educated and equipped with what NHI means in terms of accessing medical assistance.
NHI is a health financing system that provides funds to provide access to quality health services for all South Africans based on their health needs irrespective of their socio-economic status.
Currently, private healthcare is only available to 8 million of the 59 million South Africans. Meaning that private health care caters for 16% of our population. This imbalance in access to healthcare, puts a strain on the public health system and requires that the limited healthcare resources be shared equally amongst South Africans.
The Government Employees Medical Scheme (GEMS) has broaden access to healthcare. We believe in support of universal health coverage GEMS is eager to support the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI).
GEMS rationale for alignment with the NHI:
Through its mandate � GEMS will ensure that there is adequate efficient, cost-effective and equitable; provisioning of healthcare coverage for public servants.
GEMS will provide further options for those who wish to purchase more extensive cover.
GEMS regard health care as a basic & fundamental Human Right.
GEMS believes that there should be universal access to health for all SA & not only 16% of the population.
There are five basic reasons as to why our country needs NHI and these are as follows:
1. Remove health-related barriers to education
Children who have undiagnosed and untreated health problems or disabilities, including visual impairment or hearing difficulties, do not get the full benefits of education.
With improved access to testing and healthcare solutions to address barriers to learning, children will be better equipped to take advantage of opportunities and unlock their true potential.
2. Give greater effect to the right to healthcare
The right to access healthcare is enshrined in the Bill of Rights of SA, however, the inequality that currently exists between private and public healthcare means that the private sector is priced out of the reach of most South Africans while public healthcare faces challenges of (being overloaded) in providing access to quality care for the majority.
NHI will see the two systems moving closer together to address the problems of sustainability and quality in the interests of all South African healthcare consumers.
3. Promote Equality
Access to quality healthcare should be determined by an individual’s need rather than their ability to pay for expensive health services. As such, the NHI will provide healthcare to everyone, whether they are employed or unemployed, and will be free at the point of service. Affordability should never be a reason why a South African cannot access health care.
People who find themselves needing treatment should not be burdened with the financial pressures on top of concerns for their health or, worse still, find themselves resigned to ill health because of poverty.
4. Stimulate the economy for inclusive growth
Once universal health coverage is entrenched, health-related barriers to education and productivity will be greatly reduced and allow more South Africans to become economically active.
Greater emphasis on preventative healthcare will help to keep South Africa’s workforce productive for longer.
A healthy workforce is a key element of sustainable economic growth, and it has been estimated that investment in universal health cover delivers significant economic returns that exceed the cost. South Africa, therefore, cannot afford to fall further behind the global trend towards universal health coverage
5. Improve social security
At present, it is vulnerable groups including the elderly, marginalised communities and women living in poverty who bear the brunt of our current inequitable health system.
The NHI is likely to prioritise the healthcare needs of these sectors of society through an approach of progressive universalism so that they are protected and empowered.
Government has successfully implemented GEMS and we believe it has laid a solid foundation for the implementation of the National Health Insurance.
As DPSA, with core mandate of promoting efficient and effective public service, it is your responsibility as public servants to embrace these winds of change that are sweeping through the health sector.
Remember at all times the Public Service Code of Conduct clearly states that you must execute your official duties in a professional and competent manner.
In conclusion
History is unfolding upon us through the introduction and implementation of the National Health Insurance. History will record that you were at the coalface of implementing this historic development in our country.
As we commemorate the Public Service Month, let us honour the legacy of both former President Mandela and MaSisulu by ensuring that our people receive quality services in line with Batho Pele Principles, in the spirit of our Constitution as well as the way the National Development Plan espouses the ideal public service.
Together we can build service delivery points that allows all South Africans to access basic services with ease.
We implore upon you to uphold the Batho Pele Principles so that our communities can be assured that as a Public Service, We Belong (to them), We Care (about them), We Serve (them).
I thank you.
Source: Government of South Africa