Medicine, Hospital in South Africa - Essay Example

Research Topic; Medicine, hospital in South Africa In the last twenty years, South Africa has undergone a gradual transition from apartheid to a constitutional rule. South Africa has a total population of approximately 53 million people with a gross national per capita income of $12240. The total expenditure on health per capita is $982 and has a total expenditure on health of 8.8% of the GDP. Like many countries in Africa, South African health care system comprises of public and private health systems that exist as different entities. The Standards of Hospitals in South Africa is considered one of the best in the continent with Hospitals in Johannesburg said to be attracting patients all over the globe (Digby 12). The Public Health system serves the majority of the South African population with the Rich population being famous in private hospitals. Private Hospitals are well equipped and full of professional Doctors while Public Hospitals are understaffed (Mabey 66). A majority of professional doctors also works in private Hospitals due to favorable working conditions and better remunerations. Billing in South African Public Hospitals is done by a system known as Unified Fee Patient Schedule, which is used to bill different fees for every patient that seeks medical services (Digby 144). Before the country’s first ever democratic elections, Health Institutions, and Hospitals were under the control of racial groups and whites in particularly white inhabited areas. High levels of unemployment and poverty continue to leave more health care funding burden to the government with R1. 25-trillion allocated for 2014-15 financial year consuming about 12% of the country’s total budget (Hugo 33). There are about 5000 public Health Facilities in South Africa, which caters for more than ten thousand people per clinic as recommended by the World health organization. The ratio of Doctors to the nation’s population is approximated to be 0.81 per 1000 people with the majority of doctors working in the private sector (Verwey & Nelly 63). The South African government came up with policies on health commonly known as a 10 point plan, which focuses on improving healthcare infrastructure and human resource management and the procurement of health care equipment and skilled laborers. The plans seek to upgrade colleges and tertiary hospitals, in a bid to implement the National Health Insurance scheme. The National Insurance Plan was established to bring reforms in the health sector and improve service delivery (Jamison 57). HIV and Tuberculosis are the major diseases that pose a huge threat to the South African Healthcare system. Statistics shows that the HIV prevalence in South Africa in 2011 was at 10.6%, and fifth of women were HIV positive in their reproductive state. In the same year, approximately five million people were living with HIV in South Africa (Jamison 81). The performance of clinical trials and registration of medicines and healthcare devices in South Africa is done by a body known as the Medicines Control Council. This body ensures the safety of new medicines and its performances before they are subjected to the public. The Medicines Control Council committee is responsible for the review of applications for clinical trials and registration (Oppenheimer & Ronald 101). Approximately two-thirds of South African seeks traditional medicine alongside professional medical practitioners. The Medical Research Council introduced the traditional medicine research unit to do more research trials in traditional medicine to be used in modern methods of medication (Jamison 97). The South African medical research council founded in 1969 is responsible for the promotion of improvement of Health services and the life of all South Africans. The projects of the organization include tuberculosis, HIV, non-communicable diseases, alcohol and other drug abuse. Statutory bodies The institutions responsible for the provision of proper health services to South Africans include the following • South African Dental Technicians Council (SouthAfrica.info p. 2) • South African Medical Research Council (SouthAfrica.info p. 2) • South African Nursing Council • Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa • Council for Medical Schemes • Health Professions Council of South Africa • Medicines Control Council • The National Health Laboratory Service • South African Pharmacy Council (SouthAfrica.info p. 2) Challenges facing the Medical sector in South Africa A discussion of some of the challenges facing the South African health sector includes poverty and health, HIV pandemic, Tuberculosis and disparities in the healthcare sector. Health and Poverty Poverty leads to lack of access to health services as in the case of South Africa. Poverty leads to little access to services such as vaccinations, effective sanitation, and adequate nutrition. The South African government allocated approximately 13% of its budget to fighting poverty, which will translate to better health services to the people of South Africa. HIV Pandemic South Africa accounts for 17% of the total HIV infections globally. It leads to a diverted attention by the government towards the fight of the epidemic. After many years of the state’s denial and gradual response in the fight against HIV, global pressure made the South African government introduce a strategic plan to avail antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all patients with HIV (Jamison 57). Tuberculosis South Africa has one of the worst cases of Tuberculosis in the world which is being driven by increasing HIV infections in the state. The infections of tuberculosis rose from 300 per 100,000 people in the 1990s to more than 600 per 100000 in the mid-2000s. Multi-drug resistance also accounts for 2.0 % of new Tuberculosis infections (Digby 42). Increasing Disparity in health care The Public health sector in South Africa has only 30% of Doctors serving the population of about 55 million, while 16% of South Africans can afford a Private Health Insurance from the 70% of Doctors who work in the private sector due to good remuneration and excellent working conditions. Many public Hospitals in South Africa are in crisis with the public health infrastructure run down through underfunding and mismanagement. Doctor Shortage There is a big shortage of Doctor in South Africa due to the vast majority opting to work in the private sector. It is due to good working conditions in the private Hospitals. The shortage in South Africa stands at one Doctor for about 4,400 people in South Africa. Conclusion The challenges in South Africa are to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, improve the quality of education and to create employment opportunities for citizens to survive from childhood to adulthood productive lives and improving access to sustainable and effective health care services is a high priority. Steps such as improving public health care services, improving resource allocation policies, and training an efficient balance of health care professionals should be taken into consideration. Nurses and community health volunteers will probably play a significant role in other areas (Oppenheimer & Ronald 117). The government needs to invest more in the construction of health facilities to make them more accessible to citizens in South Africa. The government should also invest in educating more doctors in medical schools both locally and abroad in a bid to reduce the doctor-patient ratio in public Hospitals (Hugo 63). The government should also consider improving remuneration packages and working conditions in public hospitals to attract more doctors to the Public Hospitals thereby improving the quality of health services. The South African government should also increase the allocation to the health sectors; more so in the fight against HIV/AIDS to reduce infection rates among mothers and children in South Africa. High levels of unemployment and poverty continue to leave more health care funding burden to the government. The government should also work towards reducing poverty levels in South Africa. It is to improve the standards of living of people in South Africa, which will reduce dependency in terms of dependency on public Hospitals. Works Cited Digby, Anne. Diversity and Division in Medicine: Health Care in South Africa from the 1800s. Oxford: Lang, 2006. Print. Hugo, Jannie, and Lucie Allan. Doctors for Tomorrow: Family Medicine in South Africa. Grahamstown, South Africa: NISC, 2008. Print. Jamison, Dean T. Disease and Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006. Print. Mabey, David. Principles of Medicine in Africa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013. Print. Oppenheimer, Gerald M, and Ronald Bayer. Shattered Dreams? An Oral History of the South African Aids Epidemic. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007. Internet resource. Verwey, E J, and Nelly E. Sonderling. New Dictionary of South African Biography. Pretoria: HSRC Publishers, 2006. Print. SouthAfrica.info. Health care in South Africa. 2015. Web. April 16, 2015. Read More