Africa-Press – South-Africa. Health Minister Joe Phaahla has announced that Professor Taole Mokoena is the new health ombud.
The announcement occurred in Pretoria a few days after Professor Malegapuru Makgoba’s seven-year term as the health ombud came to an end.
Makgoba displayed his patriotism and commitment to the creation of an improved healthcare service in the country by, impartially and with no favour or prejudice, investigating complaints brought to his office and making recommendations that were invaluable to the health system in the country, Phaahla said.
He added: “South Africa and the healthcare system are greatly indebted to him, and his departure is a loss to the system that still requires a huge overhaul and deep reform. Although we are glad that he managed to set up systems with which we believe his successor will be able to continue with the good work he left behind.”
Mokoena started his seven-year non-renewable term on Thursday, a few hours after Makgoba completed his term as South Africa’s first health ombud.
Phaahla said Mokoena was one of the most outstanding South African medical scholars who had transcended the globe to show the quality of the South African academic prowess.
He said:
Phaahla said Mokoena was active in academic and professional leadership, having served at different times on several national and professional bodies, such as the SA Medical Association, Health Professions Council of SA, Colleges of Medicine SA and College of Surgeons of SA.
He said Mokoena was appointed to chair a panel investigating surgical deaths at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in 1996/7 and the panel of inquiry into discrimination within the cardiology department at the same hospital.
“This track record gives credence to his appointment as the new health ombud, armed with experience in investigations and inquiries into wrongdoing and injustices in the healthcare sector. We are confident that Professor Mokoena will execute his work with diligence and absolute sense of justice, eschewing impartiality and no prejudice to all,” Phaahla added.
He said Mokoena was a medical graduate of the University of Natal, D Phil graduate of the University of Oxford and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
He recently retired as a professor and academic head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
The Office of the Health Ombud is an independent body established in terms of the National Health Amendment Act of 2013, with the responsibility of protecting and promoting the health and safety of users of health services by considering, investigating and disposing of complaints in the national health system.
While reflecting on his seven-year term in office, Makgoba did not mince his words as he painted a grim picture of the state of the country’s public healthcare.
He said his office completed 10 861 complaints during his tenure, and Gauteng accounted for more than half of the complaints.
He also described Eastern Cape health department as an embarrassment and added that a similarity in the two provinces was the forever-changing hospital leadership, which affected patients.
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