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KwaZulu-Natal doing well compared to other provinces but some health services still a challenge

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, KwaZulu-Natal, Latest, Provinces, Sex Work

KwaZulu-Natal clinics are outperforming facilities monitored in other provinces on various indicators and health services in the province have improved year-on-year, but some marginalised groups continue to have a hard time accessing healthcare services. This is according to the latest provincial report from community-led monitoring project Ritshidze. Nthusang Lefafa spoke to several NGOs about the findings and asked the province’s health department for their response.

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In-depth: Good sexual and reproductive health services on paper, but implementation gaps remain

Posted in: Access to Medicines, Child health, Edition 6: HIV & teens, Healthcare system, Healthcare Workers, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Reproductive Health, SRHR

Though South Africa has in some respects done well in the provision of sexual and reproductive health services for adolescent girls and young women, significant gaps remain. Tiyese Jeranji takes an in-depth look at the current policy landscape and asks how well the implementation of the policies measures up to their lofty ambitions.

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Patients bear brunt of worsening conditions at some Free State clinics, report shows

Posted in: Free State, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

A recently published report by the community-led clinic monitoring project, Ritshidze shows that while there have been pockets of improvements at some clinics in the Free State, there are key issues on which facilities’ performance has worsened, especially for people living with HIV. Refilwe Mochoari unpacks the report’s findings zooming in on the situation at Bloemspruit Clinic in Mangaung.

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Human resource issues at root of Free State health problems, report suggests

Posted in: Free State, Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Provinces

Shortages of healthcare workers are contributing to long waiting times at healthcare facilities, poor treatment adherence, and are undermining the response to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) in the Free State, findings in a new report show. Refilwe Mochoari attended the launch of the report and asked the Free State Department of Health for its response.

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Staff shortages undermining quality of healthcare in Limpopo, report finds

Posted in: Healthcare system, HIV/AIDS, Latest, Limpopo, Provinces

Many clinics in Limpopo are operating without the required number of staff needed to deliver quality healthcare services, according to a report from Ritshidze, a community healthcare monitoring project. Activists say these staff shortages contribute to long waiting times for patients and overworked staff – which can ultimately undermine the province’s HIV programme.

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Opinion: Treat us better if you want us to keep coming back

Posted in: Latest

People who miss appointments or stop taking their treatment often report being treated badly by healthcare workers when they return to health facilities. This fear of being reprimanded discourages people from going back to the clinic to seek support and receive their treatment, argues Bellinda Setshogelo and Sibongile Tshabalala.

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