Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness kicks off ‘Listening and Learning’

Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness kicks off ‘Listening and Learning’ programme of visits 

The newly appointed Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, has kicked off her programme of ‘Listening and Learning’ visits to health facilities around the Western Cape, starting at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, Groote Schuur Hospital, the Bellville Health Park, and Tygerberg Hospital.

“I have immense respect for all our health heroes, the doctors, nurses, maintenance, cleaning, catering and security staff, and all those across our department for the critical work they do, often under very difficult circumstances.  Day in and day out, our just over 33 000 staff work to provide quality healthcare services to the residents of the province. I look forward to meeting with, listening to, and learning from those at the coalface of our healthcare services so that together, we can build on the strong foundations we have to continuously improve the working environment of our staff, to enable them to deliver the best possible care to our residents,” said Minister Wenger.

No stranger to the health sector, Minister Wenger has previously served on the Western Cape Provincial Parliament’s Health and Wellness Standing Committee for a full 5 years during which time the committee processed the Hospital Facility Board Act. She has also served on a hospital facility board for several years.

“As the previous Minister of Finance, I am acutely aware of the significant strain on the healthcare system, brought on by budget cuts due to the national fiscal crisis. Which is why I believe in building partnerships with the private sector, and other levels of government, to ensure sustainable service delivery and equitable healthcare,” continued Minister Wenger.

“I looked forward to engaging stakeholders across the entire healthcare ecosystem and gaining a deeper understanding of what is working and what is not. I especially look forward to gathering ideas and suggestions on how we can work together to deliver the best possible care, especially the most vulnerable, to help them to be healthy, safe and well in all phases of their lives,” Minister Wenger concluded.