sahr2001 - Health Systems Trust

13 • Voices of District Managers
Reasons for applying for current posts
When asked why they had decided to apply for the post of district manager,
most of the respondents outlined personal reasons:
“I shared the vision of PHC with the national government.”
“I felt that I was bringing important knowledge of PHC from the UK to South
Africa.”
“For the love of my people – forget about money.”
“I see this work as a challenge.”
“There are opportunities for personal growth in the job.”
“I had a vision of bringing transformation.”
However, two of the DMs had interesting explanations of how they had
become district managers.
“Well I came here by accident. I started off coming to the District Finance
Committee because the Deputy Director became ill and I was instructed to
attend the meeting in his place.”
“It is because of this rationalisation that I am now sitting where I am. Otherwise
I was working at the hospital and I was given a transfer ...”
Provincial support to districts
50% of the DMs feel they are receiving adequate and satisfactory support
from the provincial and regional offices of their respective Departments of
Health:
“There is a good support network from province to district and within district ...
They have a participatory style of management ... They give recognition in public
...”
In a similar vein, another manager remarked that she has a good relationship
with her immediate superior who is supportive and allows space for initiative.
One manager gave a qualified response:
“Province can be supportive only if you have a problem.”
The other half of the respondents reported that their respective provincial
DoHs are very unsupportive:
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