WORLD HEALTH DAY-7 APRIL - Working together for health

The theme adopted for this years World Health Day celebration is, Working together for health. The shortage of health care workers remains a universal challenge and South Africa is not an exception to this crisis. This does not only put a strain on health care workers, but also contributes tremendously to the lack of skilled health workers, the rising levels of career switching, early retirement as well as to national and international migration of health care workers.

This years World Health Day celebration will focus on the global health workforce crisis and celebrate the dignity and value of working for health.

The Provincial Department of Health will celebrate World Health Day by hosting an event for 2000 health workers from all over the province. The day will start with a walk from Head Office ( Natalia Building , Pietermaritzburg) at 8am and will end at the Royal Showgrounds where the main event will take place. Leading the walk will be senior management of the department of health. At the Showgrounds there will be various stands and stalls with information and services meant to improve and enrich the lives of staff members, particularly their health. For example there will be stalls for testing blood sugar, blood pressure as well staff for VCT, Cancer association, a Dept of Transport booze bus, the Narcotics Bureau, UNISA, Skills Development, eye testing etc, etc. One would think that health workers have access to these services but the level of illness among health workers is surprising, so the department wanted to focus everyone on taking charge of their health and their lives.

Details of the event are as follows:

DATE: 7 APRIL 2006

TIME: 8am at Natalia, 9am at the ROYAL SHOWGROUNDS, PMB

ENDS.

For more information please contact Mr. Leon Mbangwa on 083 459 8695