Disappointment as Western Cape health department changes its name

The Western Cape health department has been heavily criticised for its name change, with some health activists labelling the new name, Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, unimportant and grandstanding by health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo.

In her budget speech on Tuesday, Mbombo announced the new name and said it is in line with the department’s 2030 healthcare plan, the road to wellness. She said the long-term vision will be centred on disease prevention rather than seeking treatment. The plan was endorsed by the provincial cabinet in 2014. This will be the only health department that goes by this name in the country.

Mbombo, who tabled a R29bn budget, said the rebranding stems from her 2015 maiden budget speech “that delivering a health service will be business unusual”.

“We have implemented some of its provisions (from the healthcare 2030 plan) since 2015. This includes bringing in a more preventive and promotive health focus through community-orientated primary care. It is a slight shift from a hospicentric health system.

“We cannot continue mopping the floor only. We have to close the tap,” Mbombo said.  

However, some activists and politicians are not happy.

Damaris Kiewiets, a health activist and chairperson of the Cape metro health forum, said communities are angry there has been no consultation with them about the name change.

“How does a person get to a name change at such a critical time when we are coming out of a devastating pandemic? Couldn’t she spend the money on better things than a name change? What will it cost to change the name? The name needs to change in every building and every document. Was it a necessity post-pandemic, when people need more care and more support than a name change?”

“The MEC is grandstanding about the name change and the citizens of this province who need active healthcare services see it as a slap in the face. She clearly has money to grandstand a name change, but she doesn’t have money to ensure people get the service they promised they are going to render.

"The announcement is even more disappointing given her comments that nothing is going to change in Khayelitsha, where there are very long queues and patients continue to sleep on the floor. She said nothing will change there as long as there is an influx of people to the Western Cape.”

Rachel Windvogel, ANC MPL and spokesperson for health, said the party was “caught by surprise”.

“Usually there is collaboration between the department and politicians but that didn’t happen so it was a surprise. We don’t know whether they will continue to have the same functions or what will change, what they are bringing in. It’s  a mess. ”

Windvogel earlier described Mbombo’s budget as anti-poor, saying when there was a request from the opposition for more funds to be allocated to Khayelitsha Hospital due the high burden of violence and trauma cases, which is considerably more compared to other district hospitals, the MEC “likened the hospital to the black sheep of the family and said it will not receive special treatment”.

“We are still shocked by her heartless comments,” said Windvogel, who added the hospital, like any other health facility in poorer communities in the Western Cape, continued to experience chronic staff shortages.

Mbombo said violence prevention is one of the provisions in the 2030 healthcare plan to tackle social determinants on health.

“As health, what lands on our shores are not only health problems but socioeconomic and politico-cultural problems that lead to illnesses and a burden that drains our health system,” she said.

A violence prevention unit will be established within the department to deal with challenges of violence and come up with interventions to deal with trauma cases, among other things.

Mbombo, who allocated R777,043 in case of a fifth wave of Covid-19 infections, said the pandemic had been brutal to the healthcare workforce with 209 healthcare workers in the province succumbing to the disease so far.

“This virus is still around and is predicted to be around for the next two years, hence the need to reintegrate with other non-Covid-19 healthcare. People can access vaccines at their health facilities together with other health services as we decommission more vaccination sites such as stadiums.”

As part of the 2030 healthcare plan, the province said it would also be taking under its wing at least nine clinics currently managed by the City of Cape Town, something which has drawn a lot of criticism from opposition parties that said the provincialisation of clinics is a fancy name for closure of these crucial community clinics. 

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