The Department of Communications (DOC) will launch 180 national hospital Web sites, for seven of the country's provinces, at the end of the month.
Communications minister Siphiwe Nyanda will “hand over” the Web sites, which were developed by the department, to minister of health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi.
“The launch of the Web sites emanated from the Information Society and Development Inter-Governmental Relations Forum, where Nyanda met with two MECs from each province and other senior officials, to ensure ICTs are on the agenda of the Integrated Development Plans of provinces,” says the DOC.
Empowering citizens
“The project seeks to produce Web sites for hospitals in order to publicise health information for citizen empowerment countrywide,” says the DOC.
It adds that the Web sites were designed and developed by different e-co-operatives established by the DOC in different provinces, to implement and promote the use and uptake of ICT tools for socio-economic development.
“The Web sites are static. This is the initial phase of the project, which is focusing on the dissemination of information to the public.”
The department says information on the type of services that are provided at hospitals, information about the management of hospitals, information on special clinic days and referral requirements to access those services, among others, are the types of data that can be found on the sites. Contact details for hospitals will also be on the Web sites.
Responding to questions around the usefulness of this initiative when Internet penetration in SA is still low, the DOC says: “This initiative recognises the World Summit on Information Society Plan of Action, which states that governments are encouraged to provide adequate access through various communication resources, notably the Internet, to public official information.
“The development of hospital Web sites, hopefully, will encourage citizens to use information and knowledge to better understand the health sector and the health promotion initiatives.”
Participating provinces
The department says these Web sites were developed in partnership with the national Department of Health and provincial health departments.
Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Free State, Gauteng, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape are the seven provinces participating in the project, says the DOC.
KZN and the Western Cape hospitals already have Web sites initiated by the provinces, it adds.
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