Italy gives R44-m to Bara

by Cathy Thompson

Chris Hani Baragwanath is one of the South African health institutions benefiting from a development assistance grant valued at R44-m provided by the government of Italy.

Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who is on a three-day visit to South Africa at the invitation of President Mbeki, accompanied Minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang and Gauteng MEC for Health Gwen Ramokgopa on a visit to the hospital yesterday.

The Italian Government is providing R18,2-m to the Department of Health in Gauteng over three years mainly to set up a geographical information system for the province.

The GIS database will have maps and up-to-date reports that can be used for scenario analysis and to obtain a population profile in order to compare the provision of health services to population needs, explained Sibani Mngadi, the Health Ministry spokesman.

Source: The Citizen, 16 January 2002