A district health system for Khayelitsha

Date
2000-03
Authors
Mtwazi, L. M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Sharp divisions featured between curative and preventative health care in the Public Health Services of South Africa before the democratisation process. There was fragmentation in authority structures and inequalities between urban and rural areas as well as along racial lines. This resulted in a situation where there was duplication and inequality in the distribution of resources amongst the different levels of health care which led to costly inefficient and ineffective health services. The introduction of the White Paper Towards the Transformation of Health System in South Africa in 1997, aims at the restructuring of health services towards a unified health system which is capable of delivering quality health care to all in a caring environment. The District Health System (DHS) is featured as the key to ensuring decentralised, equitable Primary Health Care (PHC) to all the citizens of South Africa. This study looks at the reorganisation of health services in the clinics and the day hospitals which are rendered by the Health Department of The City of Tygerberg and the Community Health Service Organisation (CHSO) of the Provincial Administration of the Western Cape(P AWC) in Khayelitsha with the aim of achieving comprehensive PHC services. Inthe absence of legislation for the integration of health services, initiatives for the achievement of quality comprehensive PHC within the district are envisaged.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Openbare Gesondheidsdienste in Suid Afrika was voor die demokratieseringsproses gekenmerk deur 'n skeidig tussen kuratiewe en voorkomende gesondheidsdienste. Daar was fragmentasie van bestuurstrukture, ongelykheid tussen stedelike en landelike gebiede asook ongelykheid op grond van ras. Dit het gelei tot duplisering van, en ongelykheid in, die verspreiding van hulpbronne op die verskillende vlakke van gesondheidssorg. Die Witskrif op die Transformasie van Gesondheidstelsels in Suid-Afrika, 1997, fokus op die herstrukturering van gesondheidsdienste en het 'n verenigde gesondheidstelsel ten doel wat daartoe in staat is om gehalte gesondheidsorg in 'n sorgsame omgewing aan almal te lewer. Die Distriksgesondheidstelsel (DGS) word gekenmerk deur gedesentraliseerde, gelykmatige Primêre Gesondheidsorg (PGS) dienslewering aan al die inwoners van Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie kyk na die herorganisering van gesondheidsdienste wat deur die gesondheidsdepartement van die Stad Tygerberg en die Gemeenskapsgesondheidsdiens organisasie van die Provinsiale Administrasie van die Wes-Kaap (PAWK) in die klinieke en daghospitale in Khayelitsha gelewer word met die doel om omvattende Primêre Gesondheidsorgdienste te voorsien. Weens die afwesigheid van wetgewing vir die integrasie van gesondheidsdienste word inisiatiwe vir die bereiking van gehalte omvattende Primêre Gesondheidsorg binne die distrik beoog.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2000.
Keywords
Public health -- South Africa -- Khayelitsha, Clinics -- Khayelitsha, Community health services -- South Africa -- Khayelitsha, Reorganisation of health services, Restructuring health services
Citation