Pretoria - Stakeholders in the health and education sectors are upbeat about what lies ahead in
2012.
This as President Jacob Zuma prepares to deliver the State of the Nation Address in a few hours.
"I am sure the President will emphasize how important education is and how we need to use all the talent in our country. We have very good plans but we need to implement these plans, with sanctions for those who are corrupt," says education specialist Graeme Bloch.
Bloch said there was a need for all stakeholders in education - including principals, government officials, politicians, teachers and especially learners and their parents - to work together to make things happen.
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), on the other hand, hopes that Zuma will share government's plans on improving conditions of service for nurses and the entire health system.
It also wants a report on progress on the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI); filling of vacant posts in the health sector; progress on the re-opening of nursing colleges and what government is doing to improve nursing education in the country.
"We want government to employ personnel with requisite qualifications to manage our health services, development of rural infrastructure to ensure that people there have access to quality services, increase safety and security in hospitals and clinics and what measures are there to curb infant mortality and to deal with issues of maternal health," said DENOSA spokesperson Asanda Fongqo.
Head of Health at the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Professor Michael Herbst, said the President needs to touch on the current state of affairs at the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), where laboratory work cannot continue optimally because of a lack of funds due to the non-settlement of payment for services rendered to public hospitals.
Herbst also stressed that efficient and effective treatment, care, referral and accessibility for patients within the public health sector, should also be among the issues highlighted by Zuma.
"[We want to see] recognition of the gains made in the diagnosis, treatment and care of HIV and Aids patients, with the request that a similar approach be taken regarding non-communicable diseases, with a special emphasis on cancer, which is now the leading cause of death worldwide," said Herbst.
