3 decades and 6 ministers: How is South Africa’s health-care system coping?
From struggles and scandals to feats and forward thinking — South Africa’s health system has seen it all over the past 30 years. In this month’s ‘Health Beat’, Bhekisisa asks public officials, activists, health workers, legal experts and ordinary citizens to look back on how things have changed — and what it means for the future of health care in the country
30 April 2024 - 06:00
byMia Malan, Jessica Pitchford, Yolanda Mdzeke, Thatego Mashabela, Ruan Visser, Liz Fish and Dan Clayton
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In the past three decades, South African health has faced Aids denialism, TB battles, Covid and administrative scandals.
But the country also had big wins: rolling out antiretrovirals to millions of people with HIV, stricter rules about smoking, decriminalising sex work and making abortions safe and legal.
There’s still a lot to tackle. Climate change is the biggest health threat of the century, we’ve not beaten HIV yet, TB remains the leading killer disease in the country, obesity is a big problem and service delivery is limping along.
In this month’s Health Beat, Bhekisisa looks back with those who’ve seen the struggles and solutions — and asks them what it means for the future of health care in South Africa.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
3 decades and 6 ministers: How is South Africa’s health-care system coping?
From struggles and scandals to feats and forward thinking — South Africa’s health system has seen it all over the past 30 years. In this month’s ‘Health Beat’, Bhekisisa asks public officials, activists, health workers, legal experts and ordinary citizens to look back on how things have changed — and what it means for the future of health care in the country
In the past three decades, South African health has faced Aids denialism, TB battles, Covid and administrative scandals.
But the country also had big wins: rolling out antiretrovirals to millions of people with HIV, stricter rules about smoking, decriminalising sex work and making abortions safe and legal.
There’s still a lot to tackle. Climate change is the biggest health threat of the century, we’ve not beaten HIV yet, TB remains the leading killer disease in the country, obesity is a big problem and service delivery is limping along.
In this month’s Health Beat, Bhekisisa looks back with those who’ve seen the struggles and solutions — and asks them what it means for the future of health care in South Africa.
This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.
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