A political storm has erupted in South Africa after a video went viral showing the health minister for the Limpopo province – which borders Zimbabwe – berating a Zimbabwean woman who was seeking healthcare.
Providing primary healthcare has undoubtedly been complicated by the post-apartheid era’s shortcomings in the governance of the health system, mismanagement of funds and state resources, corruption and underfunding. Aby civil society group Corruption Watch highlights how corruption prevents a vast section of the population from accessing their right to decent healthcare.
The blame on migrants is therefore misplaced as these are health system management and governance issues. This should not be a debate about individuals in a country which continues to feel the effects of health inequalities embedded by apartheid.A higher concentration of non-nationals is likely in areas of high mobility and transit like border towns and metropolitan cities.
But this is not significant enough to mount pressure on the public healthcare system. For example, most people who move to South Africa from within the region are moving for work. This suggests there’s no relation between high mobility and seeking health services. Even if there were reported cases of women crossing the border to give birth, the public healthcare system is guided by the, which sets out who must pay for certain services at any South African health facility.
And, where there are pressures, these can be buffered if the proper systems are put in place to respond to challenges related to documentation, language and poor referral systems.The World Health Organization has highlighted the importance of public healthcare systems needing to be responsive to the needs of migrant populations. In ait notes countries should accommodate sudden spikes in demand brought on by the arrival of new populations.
The results of poor governance should not be blamed on poor migrants who are simply in need of services. Healthcare providers should desist from being political gatekeepers and instead use notions of morality, ethics and public service in their decision making.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
15 Farm attacks, 3 farm murders in South Africa - August 2022 - South Africa TodayDuring August 2022, there were 15 farm attacks and 3 farm murders. In the month of July 2022 there were 15 attacks and 7 farm murders
Read more »
Migrants in South Africa have access to healthcare: why it’s kicking up a stormMigrants in South Africa have access to healthcare: why it’s kicking up a storm: A political storm has erupted in South Africa after a video went viral showing the health minister for the Limpopo province – which borders Zimbabwe – berating a Zimbabwean…
Read more »
Migrants in South Africa have access to healthcare: why it’s kicking up a stormA political storm has erupted in South Africa after a video went viral showing the health minister for the Limpopo province – which borders Zimbabwe – berating a Zimbabwean woman who was seeking healthcare.
Read more »
Migrants in South Africa have access to healthcare: why it’s kicking up a stormA political storm has erupted in South Africa after a video went viral showing the health minister for the Limpopo province – which borders Zimbabwe – berating a Zimbabwean woman who was seeking healthcare.
Read more »
The cars you can afford with your salary in South Africa right nowBusinessTech looked at what you can afford to buy on your monthly salary – based on the assumption that people are not spending more than 25% of their gross monthly income on vehicle financing.
Read more »
The 4 things threatening your retirement savings in South Africa – and how to stop themRetirees in South Africa are at the risk of various economic factors, some that there is little you can do to manage them and other where preventative steps can be put in place.
Read more »