NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 1315
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 21 April 2011
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 12)
Ms E More (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether any minimum standards with regard to (a) staffing levels in
wards, (b) training of staff and (c) any other specified minimum
standards have been recommended in the Saving (i) Mothers, (ii) Babies
and (iii) Children reports; if not, what is the position in this
regard in each case; if so, what were the recommendations in each
report;
(2) whether all the recommendations made in the said reports have been
fully implemented; if not, (a) why not, (b) which of these
recommendations have not been implemented, (c) which health facilities
are affected and (d) by when is it envisaged that all the
recommendations will be implemented?
NW1458E
REPLY:
1) There are no minimum standards for staffing levels and training in the
Saving Mothers and Saving Babies Reports. The norms recommended in the
Saving Babies Report are progressively being addressed with the
training of more midwives and doctors in South Africa.
2) All recommendations made in the said reports have been implemented,
but not all to the same extent. The following have been implemented in
full:
i) Blood is now available in all health facilities performing
caesarean sections;
ii) Regional anaesthesia is now used for most of the caesarean
sections;
iii) Contraceptives are available in most hospitals and clinics
The recommendations not fully implemented are those linked to human
resources because of shortage of personnel and training capacity of
those employed.
The Department is committed to improving the human resource challenges
as soon as possible. Training is on-going, and the district support
strategy with specialist teams will assist greatly.
END.