Delivering a virtual address during the hand-over of the Global Green Replication Project to the Free State Province Department of Health earlier today, 13 November 2024, the Minister for the Public Service and Administration, Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi, expressed his support for the initiative, describing it “as a testament to our country’s commitment to innovation and sustainable healthcare practices”.

The Global Green Application (GGA) is at the core of the Global Green Replication Project and represents a battery of solutions that were first tested at the Bongani Hospital in the Free State province.

“Today marks a proud moment as we gather to hand over the Global Green Replication Project to the Free State Province, which is a milestone made possible through the pioneering efforts of the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI) and the dedication of the Free State Department of Health,” said Minister Inkosi Buthelezi.

Having entered under the Global Green Innovation, the Bongani Hospital intervention project was subsequently a finalist in the 2022 Public Sector Innovation Awards, which qualified it for selection to the Center for Public Service Innovation’s (CPSI) Replication Program.

As part of the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals Network, the Global Green App is a digital tool that integrates real-time data, checklists, and artificial intelligence to improve environmental and public health management. The app allows practitioners and inspectors to conduct assessments, track compliance, and document findings through mobile devices.

The hand-over of the Global Green Replication Project not only heralds an expansion of the initiative to fifteen hospitals in the Free State province, or half of the province’s hospitals. The expansion is also to benefit fifteen others in the Gauteng province, with a total coverage of thirty hospitals thus far.

“This initiative exemplifies our government’s commitment to digital transformation in the public sector, especially in areas as critical as environmental and public health… By transitioning from traditional, paper-based methods to a cutting-edge digital platform, the Global Green App embodies the forward-thinking approach we aspire to see across our public service.

According to the Minister, the Global Green Replication Project, and the App in particular, align with the key priorities of the 7th Administration, which include building a capable, ethical, and developmental state.

In his address, Minister Inkosi Buthelezi commended the pioneer of the initiative, Tshepo Mokhadi, from Bongani Hospital, describing him as typifying the kind of public servant who contributes to the professionalization of the public service by advocating forward-looking technologies.

“I encourage all provinces to adopt and customize this innovation, extending its use not only in healthcare facilities but also in monitoring food safety and environmental conditions in various sectors like spaza shops, restaurants and factories,” said Minister Nkosi Buthelezi.