The Director General of Health leaves the Department of Health
1 November 2019
Yesterday, Ms Precious Malebona Matsoso, Director-General of the national Department of Health, left the department as an outcome of a mutual agreement between her and the Minister of Health. Her contract was due to end in May 2020. Ms Matsoso had requested to be allowed to leave early in order to pursue her PhD studies.
The Director-General will exit the department with effect from today, 1 November.
The widely nationally and internationally respected Ms Matsoso joined the Department in May 2010 as the Director General. She had previously served in the Department before she joined the World Health Organisation as director of public health innovation and intellectual property from 2004-2010.
During her tenure the Department has received another unqualified audit outcome – the annual financial statement and annualperformanceconsecutively since 2011/12 to 2018/19 financial years.
Not only did she work tirelessly to lead a team that sought to achieve a vision of “A long and healthy life for all South Africans”, evidence from Statistics South Africa shows that South Africans are now living longer than before. Life expectancy rates for women increased from 57.7 to 67.3 years between 2002 and 2018. In the same period, life expectancy rate for men also improved from 53.8 year to 61.1 years. The NDP 2030 targets for a life expectancy rate of at least 70 years for men and women. These improvements have largely been attributed to the improved coverage and effectiveness of the government ART programme which started in 2004 and escalated from 2009 onwards.
Under her leadership, government has put in place pro-poor health policies which ensure free health care at the Primary Health Care facilities and hospitals for the indigent. This meant that all financial barriers to utilise health care services were removed. This started with pregnant women, mothers and children and later expanded to cover every unemployed and indigent person.
She had a passion for the improvement of the health of ordinary people. She had a keen interest in medicine. And was committed to ensuring improved access to medicines by all. Her commitment was when is was appointed a member of the UN High Level Panel on Access to medicines.
She also had the passion for strengthening systems to respond promptly and effectively to outbreaks. Recently, South Africa was recognised as number one in the African continent and 34 in the world of countries that have effective and sustainable systems to respond to outbreaks adequately.
Last night, Ms Matsoso, thanked her executive management team, the staff of National Department of Health for the support they have given her during her tenure. She also extended her grateful thanks to all health workers who are at the coalface of rendering services for their resilience amid daily challenges. “I salute all the health workers and urge them to be unwavering in implementing the universal health coverage through NHI”.
The Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, wish to take this opportunity to expressed his gratitude, and wish the DG well in her future career.
Issued by Popo Maja, Spokesperson, National Department of Health, 1 November 2019
