Health gets help from 200

The national department of health has deployed about 200 senior officials to all nine provinces as part of its provincial support programme.

Health spokesperson Foster Mohale yesterday denied the project, launched by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, was “a takeover by national”, saying the drive was meant “to complement and collaborate with provincial staff at most struggling health facilities”.

The deployed teams are led by deputy directors-general.

Mohale said the health officials included doctors, nurses and senior managers.

They would be stationed indefinitely in the provincial health facilities “until further notice”, Mohale said.