WHERE WE GOVERNHealth in the Western CapeLife expectancyLife expectancy in the Western Cape is the highest in the country, supported by a functional public healthcare system. Since 2009, life expectancy for men has increased from 59 years to a projected 66 years for the period 2016-2021, and for women from 64 years to a projected 72 years over the same period. InfrastructureWe’ve spent R3.8 billion on capital infrastructure since 2009, and an additional R1.8 billion on maintenance of infrastructure assets. This includes major new district hospitals in Khayelitsha (330 beds) and Mitchells Plain (391); an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) data centre to the value of R250 million; 10 emergency centres replaced or upgraded; 14 new primary healthcare facilities completed, and 11 new ambulance stations built. Chronic dispensingWe launched the Chronic Distribution Unit (CDU) along with 6000 alternate sites (other than health facilities) where patients can collect medication. An average of 380 000 patients receive parcels from the CDU per month. Over 4 560 000 medicine parcels are distributed per year on average. Access to healthcareThe Western Cape has the highest percentage of households living within 30 minutes of their nearest health facility, at 91.5%, according to Statistics South Africa’s (Stats SA) General Household Survey2016. To ensure rural access to healthcare, our HealthNet patient transport system operates at around230 pick-up points across the province. Every year, over 150 000 patients are transported to healthcare facilities, through this R90 million service. This system is unique to the Western Cape. Medicine distributionWestern Cape Government Health has a unique system to ensure no stock-outs of medicines for which the Province is responsible for supplying. Supply is managed through a central depot, delivering to large facilities, that deliver to smaller facilities. eVisionWe are the only province to digitalise patient records in public healthcare. This is remarkable as the digital records span 54 hospitals; around 300 primary healthcare facilities; more than 100 pharmacies; the National Health Laboratory Service laboratories (+- 30 in the province); and currently hosts about 13 million patients, spanning more than 25 years, as no records are deleted or archived from the system.