South African Military Health Service
| South African Military Health Service | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1979-1994 (as SAMS of the SADF) 1994-present (as SAMHS of the SANDF) |
| Country |
 South Africa
|
| Type | Military Health Service |
| Size |
|
| Part of | Department of Defence |
| Headquarters | Pretoria, Gauteng |
| Commanders | |
| Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs | Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula |
| Surgeon General | Lieutenant-General Aubrey Sedibe |
The South African Military Health Service is the branch of the South African National Defence Force responsible for medical facilities and the training and deployment of all medical personnel within the force. Though unusual, as most national militaries integrate their medical structures into their existing service branches, the SANDF regards this structure as being the most efficient method of providing care and support to the SANDF's personnel.
It is a significant actor in the effort to control HIV/AIDS within the SANDF.
The predecessor of the SAMHS, the South African Medical Service, was established as a full service branch of the South African Defence Force (SADF) on 1 July 1979 in order to consolidate and strengthen the medical services of the South African Army, South African Navy and South African Air Force.
Following the end of the Border War, in the early 1990s, it implemented several retrenchment measures. It consolidated all quartermaster stores in the Cape Town and Bloemfontein areas, relocated its training center from Potchefstroom to Pretoria, closed several medical supply depots, consolidated computer centers and systems, rationalized procedures for procuring medicine and medical equipment, discontinued survival training, and reduced or closed sickbays and military medical clinics that served other armed services affected by retrenchments.
The SAMS was incorporated into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, and was renamed the South African Military Health Service on 1 June 1998.
The SAMHS includes active duty military personnel and civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence. In addition, the service employs roughly 400 medical doctors and private medical specialists are sometimes appointed to supplement the staff of the SAMHS.
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Wikipedia