In a bid to make herself more accessible to the Eastern Cape public, newly appointed Health MEC Helen Sauls-August has created a Facebook page that discusses all things health.
Eastern Cape Health Talk is the innovative platform Sauls-August hopes to make use of to interact with members of the public.
It was created earlier this month and already has posts on the work the department has accomplished in her short time in office.
Department of Health spokesperson Lwandile Sicwetsha told the Saturday Dispatch that the page was a vehicle to strengthen and improve service delivery in the province.
“We have created the page as a platform for people to share their [experience of] public healthcare services in the province and alert us to the problems they encounter.”
He said that information posted on the page would assist in resolving matters in public healthcare services.
“It could range from compliments, complaints or a call for help if people are experiencing difficulties in accessing healthcare, as well as to blow the whistle on malpractice,” he said
He described Sauls-August as an avid social media user who enjoyed interacting with people.
Sicwetsha said public queries that required urgent intervention would be forwarded to Sauls-August and the health department management for “speedy resolution”.
The MEC will regularly have live Facebook conversations to interact with the public.
The public could, through the platform, raise any issue with her in line with her duties.
“She deems Facebook an important platform to communicate departmental programmes, plans and other activities to create a better understanding of her programme.”
He said interactions with the MEC would focus on service delivery and interventions.
“Only health-related matters will be entertained because we are trying to assist people on that platform get their issues resolved.
On confidential matters, people can send messages on Facebook messenger.
Her followers on the page will receive responses to legislative issues, press statements, videos and information on her public programmes.”— nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za