Accessibility Barriers in Health Facilities of the South African Public Sector

Abstract

The study seeks to propose a framework that may assist government to improve accessibility of health facilities in South African public sector. The public sector requires health care facilities that are readily accessible to serve every citizen. For instance, people in rural areas and urban areas, rich and poor should have equal access to health care facilities. Access to health care is a basic right enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of South Africa. Previous studies have shown that there is unequal access to health care service in South Africa. Most often than not, health care facilities are easily accessible to rich people and those in urban areas, while neglecting majority of poor people and those in rural areas. Unequal access to health facilities in South African public sector is attributed to various factors that include: poor infrastructure delivery planning, poor infrastructure delivery institutional arrangement and systems, long distances to health facilities, disruptions of projects during project construction, inadequate maintenance of health facilities and lack of community involvement and empowerment. In the absence of health care facilities citizens are at higher risk of contracting communicable diseases such as Covid-19 and losing their lives. The study will employ the qualitative research method and rely on the literature review to suggest the strategies that if implemented may improve accessibility of health facilities in South African public sector.