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The Gauteng MEC for Health, Dr Gwen Ramokgopa together with the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD); USAID and Professional Provider Organisation (PPO) Services today launched the first Gauteng GP Care Cell in Atteridgeville, Tshwane.

MEC Ramokgopa said the GP Care Cell will go a long way in ensuring that the government uses all health professionals and all the capacity to achieve the 90-90-90 targets in the fight against HIV, TB and STIs.

“The model is also a research and a pilot through which we will look at how best we can work using private practitioners, integrated data model and making sure that all South Africans have access to good quality care.

“The GP Care model also looks at drug rehabilitation, medical male circumcision, TB treatment and HIV/ AIDS access to care. It is a project that can help us to reach more people as we look for the missing population in terms of prevention and treatment. This partnership can be used to build the model of National Health Insurance that all South Africans want”, MEC Ramokgopa said at the launch.

The GP Care Cell model organises a number of GPs and community pharmacies into a network. Through this model private GPs will provide HIV clinical services with state-funded pharmacy and laboratory services to uninsured people living with HIV.

Dr Lindi Shange a GP and owner of the pilot practice, echoed MEC Ramokgopa’ s sentiments stating that the GP Care Cell project is going to be an opportunity for public-private partnership which will enhance the quality of care and access to healthcare centres for HIV and TB patients.

“Through this project we will be able to help our Tshwane District to attain their 90-90-90 targets. I am also hoping that this partnership is going to open a new door for us to be able to identify people who have HIV,  initiate and treat them as well as  linking them to other services of healthcare if the need be,” explained Dr Shange.

Issued by Gauteng Health