Motsoaledi declares war on disease-causing products

Abstract

With a few brief and notable exceptions, his predecessors were either pedestrian or downright obstructive in delivering an overall life-saving, disease-preventing service to the nation – delighting those who spun millions in the vacuum of ineptitude.

Today the comfort zones of a broad range of producers, service providers and retailers are shrinking fast as they scramble to draw up contingency plans to protect their robust bottom lines – all of which threaten the average South African’s health.

Health Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, struck a gladiatorial profile in his annual budget speech this year, declaring war on the tobacco, alcohol and fast-food industries and defining the existing health care system as lopsidedly curative, hospi-centric, destructively costly and unsustainable. He said ‘complete re-engineering’ was needed towards a pragmatic, pro-active preventive and primary health care care approach.