Labor

The provision of comprehensive integrated primary health care (PHC) within the framework of the District Health System (DHS) is the cornerstone of health service delivery in the new South Africa. At the same time, vertical programmes have been developed to ensure that priority health issues are tackled in an appropriate, co-ordinated and focussed way.

The purpose of this newsletter is to inform health workers in the Northern Province about developments in the district. It has been produced by the Provincial Health and Welfare department in partnership with the ISDS (Initiative for Sub-district Support), which is a program of the Health Systems Trust.

Lessons for district managers in strengthening district management.In some provinces, district management teams are being appointed. In others, interim district management structures are in place. Now is the time to ensure that their activities are geared towards improving service delivery, rather than their becoming snowed under by bureaucratic tasks.

To inform about developments and happenings in health sector in the district. Welcome to the first district health newsletter of Mt Frere. This, and subsequent newsletters will inform you about developments and happenings in the health sector in this, your district. Although primarily a newsletter about health, where possible we will also use this medium to inform you of events or developments in other sectors that have a bearing on the health matters within the district. We would also like to encourage contributions from members of the community and in future editions we hope to have a letters to the editor feature.

I would like to extol my predecessor Mr. Thando Cengimbo, for the work he has done so well in publishing the first District Newsletter. I would like to take up the challenges he posed in his last article Youth Development from a social point of view. Let us look at the trends of sex and sexuality in our youth.