Health

Without addressing basic healthcare and life-threatening diseases, South Africa will not be able to tackle broader societal and economic challenges. There are critical shortages of staff, skills, training, services, facilities, transport, equipment, education programmes and medicines in the public health system, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas.

The major healthcare challenge in South Africa remains the provision of equitable, quality, integrated primary healthcare services that encourage community participation. Non-profit organisations play a vital role in partnering with government to increase access to information, education, services and healthcare programmes. Many projects focus on building the capacity of communities to combat diseases and ill-health.

Despite the government’s growing commitment to tackling the massive health challenges facing the country, the extent of their financial and other resources is likely to be insufficient to address all of the needs in prevention, treatment, care, support and research. There is an ongoing need for investment by the private sector and the international community in supporting the work done by community-based and non-governmental organisations and building their capacity in addressing these challenges.

The current situation

International

  • In 2006, 2.6 billion people worldwide did not have access to adequate sanitary facilities.
  • 47 million pregnant women gave birth without skilled care.
  • Global expenditure on healthcare is marked by enormous inequality: in low-income countries average per capita expenditure was US$16 in 2005; in high-income countries it was US$2,672.
  • An estimated 33 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide, with two-thirds of those living in Sub-Saharan Africa.

South Africa

  • At 5.7 million, South Africa has the largest HIV-positive population of any country in the world
  • South Africa also has the fourth highest HIV prevalence in the world.
  • 29.1% of pregnant women attending public health facilities for antenatal care were HIV positive in 2006.
  • An estimated 1.4 million South African children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death, and South Africa has the third largest incidence of TB globally with approximately 250,000 new cases of TB are diagnosed each year. Half of all TB patients are also HIV positive.
  • After TB, the leading causes of death are influenza and pneumonia, intestinal infectious diseases, heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases. Diabetes, obesity, mental illness, cholera and diarrhoea are also areas of concern.
  • Life expectancy at birth is 50 years for males and 53 years for females.
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth (the number of years one can expect to live in full health) is 43 years for males and 45 years for females.
  • The infant mortality rate is 49 per 1,000 live births.
  • Despite economic growth, the nutritional status of South Africans has not improved since the beginning of democratic rule in 1994.
  • While great strides have been made in promoting immunisation, and immunisation rates are generally high, there are still districts where full immunisation rates are as low as 60%.
Download the full research paper
Download the full research paper

Good Practice

SASIX considers investment in projects that:

  • Enable disadvantaged communities to participate in the improvement of their health by educating and empowering them in healthy living and disease prevention.
  • Enhance the government's provision of primary healthcare services.
  • Provide education programmes that focus on the prevention of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and TB.
  • Provide training and other capacity building for healthcare workers and community organisations.
  • Promote voluntary HIV testing and counselling, help people obtain anti-retroviral treatment and medical care, and respond to the needs of children who have been orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS.
  • Promote gender equality and reduce the vulnerability of women and girls to HIV infection.
  • Provide nutritional support, especially to children in rural areas.
  • Offer affordable, accessible and comprehensive primary healthcare services, particularly in rural communities.