House Chairperson, the state of public health care in South Africa leaves me with a cause of great concern. For over a decade, we have witnessed this government struggle with the provision of better health care services.
We have heard on numerous occasions that government is fully overwhelmed with the health care system. We heard about the ageing infrastructure and the strengthening of medical innovation research and development. We have heard about government's plans to improve human resource management, planning and development. We have heard about the provision of adequate and community-based care especially in rural areas. We have heard these promises from government for well over a decade now yet 10 years later, we are still faced with the same challenges.
In 2009, the Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Molefi Sefularo, said and I quote: "These are the priorities
that you should hold us, as the Department of Health, accountable for in the coming five years of governance." Now, who will account for this? The truth is that the situation has not improved, it has only worsened.
We need government reforms and accountability in the health care sector immediately. We must root out all forms institutionalisation and corruption before we even start with the NHI. The IFP supports the BRRR. [Applause.]
Afrikaans: