The City of Johannesburg (COJ) will spend R21.5 million on the implementation of its e-health system.
So says executive mayor Mpho Phalatse, marking the coming into effect of the multi-party government’s R77.3 billion budget for the 2022/23 financial year.
While the COJ announced budget plans for the city at the end of May, it’s only now that budget funds may officially start to be utilised for various projects.
According to Phalatse, the city has allocated R1.8 billion to health and social development, which will see 10 new clinics being built over the next three years.
“We are moving towards an e-health system which will see health records centralised and digitised, improving service delivery in primary healthcare; this project will see an injection of R21.5 million.”
The mayor initially noted plans around an e-health systemand use of digital technologies for service delivery during her State of the City Address in April.
It is among the projects the city prioritised in its plans to build a smart city, where technology is at the centre of delivering services, ranging from traffic management, safety and security, to healthcare.
Phalatse said the multi-party government is committed to repair and rebuild the city, indicating seven mayoral priorities have been prioritised as the strategic drivers or areas of focus for the current term of office.
Among the seven priorities is building a smart Johannesburg that maximises use of technology to empower residents and find solutions for its most pressing challenges.
On access to information and resources, Phalatse notes R35.1 million has been allocated for free WiFi infrastructure at the city’s libraries.
According to the city, the budget will be used to create a further 500 WiFi hotspots.
Councillor Julie Suddaby, the city’s MMC for finance, previously stated: “When I drive by city libraries or the JMPD head office, there is always a small crowd of people making use of the city’s free WiFi.
“In our current age, internet connectivity can safely be called a basic human right. The internet connects us to each other, gives our residents access to job opportunities, allows students to facilitate their study requirements and allows us to engage with our residents wherever they are.”
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