South Africa is grappling with the issue of substandard medical care, a serious problem that affects the most vulnerable in our country each year. One of the primary factors contributing to this problem is the lack of access to adequate and comprehensive healthcare, particularly in rural areas. Patients in these areas are often faced with challenges in accessing and obtaining quality care. As such, tackling substandard care in rural areas of South Africa is an urgent and ongoing issue that requires attention and action.
Challenges in tackling substandard care in rural South Africa:
- Availability of Qualified Healthcare Professionals
The shortage of qualified healthcare professionals, as well as unequal health care distribution in rural areas, are some of the key challenges faced by rural communities. - Access to Health Care
The World Health Organization describes access to Health Care in terms of financial, population and service coverage. Many families are not able to access healthcare services due to the distance, time and cost of accessing health services. - Quality of Care
Insufficient trained staff, lack of monitoring and evaluation, inadequate patient transport and shortage of ambulance services, have been identified as key factors of great concern in provision of quality care. - Communication and Collaboration
Many South Africans living in rural areas lack access to affordable, quality and comprehensive health care. However, several non-profit organizations assist the Department of Health by rendering technical assistance and training at facility level. An example of one such an Organization, is the Umthomo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF). The UYDF was established in 1997 with the goal to attract and retain health workers in rural health facilities, thereby addressing the shortage of healthcare workers. The UYDF is reportedly achieving its goal of improving health services in underdeveloped rural areas of South Africa.
Conclusion
Tackling substandard care in rural areas of South Africa is a complex and challenging issue that requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes increasing the number of healthcare professionals in rural areas, improving access to healthcare, improving the quality of healthcare services, and improving communication and collaboration between healthcare providers. By working together to address these issues, we can ensure that patients in rural areas of South Africa receive the high-quality and safe healthcare they deserve, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status.
The right to access healthcare services is guaranteed by section 27 of the Constitution, certain issues of which has been dealt with by the Court. See Soobramoney v Minister of Health, KwaZulu-Natal 1998 (1) SA 765 (CC) and Government of the Republic of South Africa and Others v Grootboom and Others 2001 (1) SA 46 (CC) in this regard. The Government is required to progressively realise this right within the available resources and to take all reasonable measures to address poor health outcomes and health services in rural communities.
Progressive realisation, however, implies that it is unconstitutional for access to health care to deteriorate.
Gert Nel Incorporated will investigate whether the hospital failed to provide reasonable standard of care in circumstances when the required resources were and / or should have been available.
