On Wednesday, 13 October, the Standing Committee received a briefing on the contents of the Bills from the National and Provincial Departments of Health. The permanent delegate in the NCOP, Ms H Lamoela also gave the Committee an overview of the discussions held by the NCOP Select Committee on the Bills.

A number of historically disadvantaged people worked as laboratory assistants in dental laboratories for many years during which they were illegally trained to perform some work of a dental technician. Although they were employed as laboratory assistants, they illegally did some work of a dental technician. It has therefore become imperative to allow these people the opportunity to obtain restricted registration as dental technician in order to legally perform work they were trained to do.

The main aim of the Bill is to propose amendments to the Dental Technicians Act, 979 (Act NO. 19 of 1979). The Bill provides for the restricted registration of informally trained persons and to enable the Minister to make regulations regarding the conditions in terms of which an informally trained person may be registered by the South African Dental Technicians Council as a dental technician in terms of the Act.

The committee deliberated on the contents of the Bill.

• False claims from Medical Schemes by Laboratory Assistants.

The Standing Committee on Social Development confers on the Western Cape's delegation in the NCOP the authority to support the Bill with the concerns raised above.

(ii) NEGOTIATING MANDATE ON THE TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS' BILL [B66B-2003]

The Portfolio and the Select Committees on Health held public hearings on traditional healers and recommendations were made that there should be legal recognition of Traditional Healers as a Health Resource and that Interim Council be established which will he responsible for the regulation of the profession of Traditional Healing. Such Council should report back to Parliament within 3 years, and then thereafter a permanent council will be established.

The committee deliberated on the contents of the Bill.

• The Medical Schemes were not consulted during the public hearings
• Resistance from Medical Schemes to pay for services provided by the Traditional Healers.
• How will influx of Traditional Healers from other countries be controlled?

The Standing Committee on Social Development confers on the Western Cape's delegation in the NCOP the authority to support the Bill with the concerns raised above

The committee deliberated On the contents of the Bill.

The Standing Committee on Social Development confers on the Western Cape's delegation in the NCOP the authority to support the Dill with the concerns raised above.

The main aim of the Dill is to propose amendments due to the high number of women dying from unsafe abortion. The Dill will improve access to the services by enabling the MEC to approve more facilities.

The committee deliberated on the contents of the Dill.

• The Bill; must have a protection clause for consciousness objectors.
• A minor must get parent consent before she can terminate pregnancy.
• A person to undergo termination should get counselling 24 hours l) before termination.

The Standing Committee on Social Development confers on the Western Cape's delegation in the NCOP the authority to support the Bill with the concerns raised above.