In an effort to improve the lives of people with disabilities, the Gauteng Department of Health has issued more than 43 000 assistive devices such as hearing aids and wheelchairs during the financial year 2012/13.
The MEC for the Department of Health, Hope Papo said: “In all public health facilities, people with physical and mental disabilities, the elderly, children under the age of six, pregnant women and those who are on disability grants received free health care.”
Papo said the province has made improvements in staffing specialised rehabilitation units at hospitals.
“Posts in all medical orthotics and prosthetics centres are now filled and podiatry staff has increased from five to 13 since 2007,” Papo said.
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