WITS University and the Gauteng Department of Health have signed an accord to tackle health delivery at four hospitals that form part of Wits’ teaching platform.
Wits vice chancellor, Adam Habib, Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi and Gauteng health member of the executive committee (MEC), Hope Papo, signed a developmental accord last
week.
The four hospitals are the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Academic Hospital, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital. In the accord, Wits and Gauteng Health pledged to address obstacles to health delivery and “to ensure the availability and functionality of equipment and consumables” at these hospitals.
[pullquote align=”right”]”…the event was ‘a historical moment” for Wits, the Gauteng health department and the ministry.[/pullquote]According to Prof Ahmed Wadee, the dean of Health Sciences, the clinicians in the faculty initiated the agreement. “The university is committed to and would like to ensure that
hospital supplies and equipment are made available for patient care and for teaching and training,” said Wadee.
Doctors from the university will be part of the task team that will monitor the implementation of drug supplies and equipment. Practising medical students will benefit from the improved teaching facilities and will experience a more conducive learning environment. Approximately one thousand medical students are doing their practicals at these hospitals, Wadee said.
According to a statement, the objective of the accord is for the department and the university to work together towards better healthcare and the training of healthcare professionals. In the statement Habib said Wits doctors contribute towards keeping the health system alive and “…the event was ‘a historical moment” for Wits, the Gauteng health department and the ministry.
He said it symbolised how “decisive and committed leadership teams can engage and resolve issues of concern to the benefit of all parties and South African citizens as a whole”.
Wits will not be donating any funds to address the needs of these hospitals. The national department of health would fund equipment and other supplies.
Wadee said there was an extensive list of equipment and supplies needed by the hospital.
