The MEC for Health in the Northern Cape, Mr. MS Sokatsha, in his budget speech of June 2009, indicated that the Department of Health will be engaging national and international donors to build partnerships and enhance health service delivery.

We are thus elated to announce that on 04 August 2009 at a meeting between the DBSA (Development Bank of South-Africa) and representatives from the National Department of Health, the Northern Cape MEC of Health, Mr MS Sokatsha, secured R30m through financial cooperation between the German and South-African Governments. The funding is geared towards improving health facilities for Voluntary Counseling and Testing(VCT) in the Northern Cape Province.

The objectives of this programme is to contribute to the reduction of the rapid increase of HIV and AIDS infections through improved access to quality voluntary counseling and testing. Programme activities involve the upgrading of health facilities, social marketing and monitoring and evaluation.

The MEC committed, in conjunction with the DBSA and the National Department of Health, that the R30M will be fruitfully and properly used for the improvement of health service delivery for the people of the Northern Cape Province.