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* The opening of this clinic is part of our tireless efforts to ensure community access to public health services.

RACISM IN HEALTH SERVICES

* At the end of this month, the whole world will descend on Durban to try and find a solution to the scourge of racism.

* We cannot deny that there is racism within some health institutions and private surgeries across the province. our people still experience subtle as well as overt forms of racism.

* You will recall that Coligny Hospital was closed earlier this year because of its failure to comply with the Governance Act.

* We must reject privatised racism, which is threatening to take root in the new South Africa, and which is mainly used to discriminate against black people.

* Admission criteria at some of these hospitals are primarily intended to keep them as white-only hospitals.

* Any private hospital wishing to operate in the North West must do so within the constitutional and legislative framework of the country.

* We must utilise the health resources of our land to care for the health of all our people, irrespective of their class or racial background.

* Access to health care services cannot be determined by race. Racists have no place in the new South Africa.

ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES

* Millions of our people are still condemned to live and die in miserable conditions.

* They suffer from physical and mental ailments and die young because of preventable diseases, that include malaria, AIDS, cholera, tuberculosis and others.

* As instructed by the President, we have to respond urgently to the task of strengthening our system of primary health care. Amongst other things, this entails the building of clinics in areas which never had any health care facilities.

* It also entails raising awareness of our people about various health issues such as safe sex, clean water, nutrition and cleanliness in general, so that we can reduce the incidence of various diseases, including STDs, tuberculosis, cholera and AIDS.

* Deaths of young babies as a result of preventable deaths cannot be justified. The government is prioritising prevention and resources are therefore directed primarily at historically deprived communities, especially those in rural areas.

* Since 1994, we have sought to extend health services to all our people. We must continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we achieve the goal of providing affordable and accessible primary health care services to all.

* The central pillar of the government's health policy is affordable and accessible primary health care. I am fully aware that the full meaning of freedom will never be realised until all our people have been freed from the legacy of deprivation and disease.

* I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the community of Tlhabogang for having been active participants in the process of bettering their own lives. I hope you will continue to be our partners in the reconstruction and development of our nation.

* The critical objective of our health delivery programmes is to free all our people from the legacy of deprivation and disease. The task is far from complete, but we are confident that that we are on the right track.

VOLUNTARY COUNSELLING AND TESTING

* Consistent with the promise I made this year's Budget Speech, the department has drastically increased its voluntary counseling and testing (VCT). Many more will be opened soon. Voluntary counselling and testing is an integral part of all prevention programmes for HIV\AIDS.

* In these VCT sites, all procedures can be done on-site, namely pre-test counselling, rapid testing and post-test counselling. This service will now become part of the primary health care package in the province. This clinic will open its VCT service soon.

PATIENTS' RIGHTS CHARTER AND BATHO PELE

* The Patients' Rights Charter and Batho Pele reflect our commitment to quality service.

* The Patients' Rights Charter and Batho Pele call upon all of us to respect the dignity of all our people - health providers as well as patients.

* The central objective must be to ensure that both health providers and patients are fully informed and aware of their rights and obligations. Patients must have a right to redress in the event of their rights being violated.

* I urge the staff of this new clinic to commit themselves to put our people first. They must become the embodiment of Batho Pele and patients' rights.

* I have been disturbed by reports of rude and unprofessional behaviour by some of our health workers. This behaviour constitutes a gross violation of our people's right to dignity and health. I therefore appeal to people to report cases of this nature to the Clinical Investigation Committee (CIC).

* The CIC is a departmental investigation committee established in 1997 to investigate all complaints and reports of negligence and professional malpractice on the part of health workers. It also recommends corrective measures to the department.

* The department is determined to act against any employee whose action or behaviour undermines our public commitment to the principles of Batho Pele and the provisions of the Patients' Rights Charter.

* However, this must not detract from the fact that the majority of our health workers across the province are committed to service excellence. We expect nothing less from the staff of this clinic.

* I urge members of governance structures to play a role in ensuring that staff of this clinic keep up to the pledge of providing a quality and humane service to our people.

I thank you

Issued by the Office of the Premier, North West, 21 August 2001