The Need for Deepening Inter-Sectoral Collaboration for the Overall Well-Being and Dignity of Clients Affected by Adverse Health Outcomes at Health Facilities
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Eshetu Worku, Northern Cape Department of Health, Kimberley, South Africa.
The right to health care, for all citizens, is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Furthermore, the National Development Plan (NDP 2030) states that good health status at individual and population level as one of the critical means to create productive citizens eradicate poverty and reduce inequality in all its forms. Better health for all is a noble goal, however, it needs adequate resources and collaborative efforts from multiple role players in the health sector. Nowhere is this truer than the recent increased occurrences of adverse health outcomes due to medical malpractices and negligence and the associated medico-legal cost claims against the sector. This article aims to highlight the need for overhauling the fragmented health system along with deepening the inter-sectoral and collaborative efforts not only to mitigate the medico-legal challenges but also, in relation to the broader delivery of good quality health services for all. The study employed mixed methods for collecting data. Structured interviews, review of secondary documents, case studies and focus group discussions were used to generate evidence. In South Africa, health system is faced with numerous opportunities and challenges. Advancing the collective efforts supported by pro-poor public policies, should be an essential foundation for correcting the current inequities in health and health system as well as better health for all.
Health Outcome, Medical Malpractices, Quality, Inter-Sectoral Collaboration, Public Policy
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