Transforming Health Services Delivery in Last 25 Years (1994 – 2019) on Democracy: Performances and Challenges in the Northern Cape Province
[1]
Eshetu Bekele Worku, Research and Development Unit, Northern Cape Department of Health, Kimberley, South Africa.
[2]
Steven Stephanus Jonkers, Head of Department, Northern Cape Department of Health, Kimberley, South Africa.
[3]
Nomathemba Angeline Mzibuko, Chief Director District Health Services, Northern Cape Department of Health, Kimberley, South Africa.
Over the last two and a half decades some substantial population health gains have occurred in the Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Life expectancy (LE) at birth has increased significantly, for both genders, reaching to 60 years for males and 67 years for females (South Africans average LE in 2018 was 62 years). A major reduction has also been realised in maternal and under-five mortalities which is only 65.9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, that is below the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2030 target, and 4.2 under-five mortalities per 1000 live births. Similarly, the burden of HIV/AIDS and TB reduced to less the numbers of new infections and increasing the number of HIV/AIDS positive clients (57,000 patients which is greater than 90% eligible clients) to remain on Antiretroviral Treatment (ART). The Province also has about 71% of patients on ART virally suppressed, compared to an average of 62% nationally. Despite these improvements, providing equitable and good quality health care services for all remains a challenge. This is partially due to the immense Social Determinants of Health (SDH) which are responsible for poor health and health inequalities in the first place. This suggests that while there is a need to further accelerate transforming health service delivery towards good quality, equitable, accessible, efficient, effective and sustain the achievements, beyond the health sector, other sectors’ roles in addressing the social, economic and environmental determinants of health is critical with particular focus on disadvantaged and vulnerable sub-groups of the population and rural communities in the province. The primary aim of this study is to generate evidence and carry out an analysis on the Northern Cape health sector’s journey since 1994, by highlighting the key achievements and challenges using largely secondary data sources.
Health Equity, Health System, Social Determinants of Health, Apartheid, Northern Cape
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