Picture: The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane/Facebook
By REGINALD KANYANE
8 April 2026 – The North West Department of Health held a District Health Services (DHS) Strategy Transformation Workshop in Klerksdorp recently. The department said this workshop brought together a diverse coalition of provincial leadership, national policymakers, global health experts, academia and implementation partners under the theme: “Strengthening Primary Health Care Systems for Responsive, Resilient Communities.”
The North West Department of Health spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane said the workshop focused on repositioning the district health system through six strategic pillars. Lekgethwane said the pillars are improving access and equity, strengthening system responsiveness, enhancing governance and accountability, building cohesive and motivated teams, improving integration across PHC–DHS platforms, and aligning efforts through a unified provincial roadmap.
“Deliberations were grounded in addressing persistent systemic challenges, including fragmented digital systems, inconsistent referral pathways, and workforce pressures, while promoting innovation and evidence-based planning.
“A strong contingent of high-level presenters provided strategic and technical leadership throughout the workshop. Just to mention a few, Dr Krish Vallabhjee (Clinton Health Access Initiative) contributed expertise on health systems strategy and governance,” he said.
Lekgethwane further said Dr Francis Magombo and Shenaaz El-Halabi (World Health Organization), provided global perspectives on health system strengthening and strategic collaboration, while Jeanette Hunter from the National Department of Health, aligned discussions with national PHC reforms and Universal Health Coverage priorities. He added that additional insights were delivered by Dr Prosper Tumusiime (former WHO Director), Prof Ute Feucht (University of Pretoria), Dr Jackie Dunlop (public health specialist), and Maanda Mudau (Health Systems Trust), who collectively emphasised service integration, maternal and child health, programme implementation, and data-driven decision-making.
“Experts such as Prof Keitshepile Geoffrey Setswe from Aurum Institute and Max Moyo, further guided conversations on implementation research, leadership, and organisational culture transformation.
“The long-term outcomes of this workshop should see significant influence on health service delivery in the North West by strengthening integration across levels of care, improving patient access and continuity, and enhancing governance and accountability mechanisms,” said Lekgethwane.
He said its emphasis on digital transformation and health intelligence will enable more responsive and data-driven systems, while workforce-focused strategies aim to improve staff performance, morale, and distribution. Lekgethwane said ultimately, the workshop positioned the province to deliver more equitable, efficient and people-centred healthcare services, reinforcing a resilient Primary Health Care system capable of meeting both current demands and future health challenges.
The Guardian 