Publication Date
4-2022
School
School of Health Sciences
Major
Biology: Biomedical Sciences
Keywords
Health, Healthcare, South Africa, Public Health
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
Recommended Citation
Westers, Silas, "Health Care in South Africa: An Overview of Past and Current Challenges" (2022). Senior Honors Theses. 1176.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/honors/1176
Abstract
The health care system in South Africa is a living remnant of apartheid. Divided and disjointed, the system is unable to cope with the significant challenges that exist in the public health of South Africa. Social issues such as poverty, inequality, and xenophobia influence how the health system operates. Health care workers face challenges such as communicable diseases, particularly HIV. Moving forward, the government plans to transition to a single payer nationalized health insurance (NHI) system. NHI will not solve all the problems the system faces, and the government must be diligent in rooting out corruption, incentivizing quality care, and promoting cooperation between the private and public health entities in South Africa.
