The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa

South Africa is currently dealing with the transformation of health care into an equitable, national health care system driven by a primary health care approach. This requires a complicated sec of administrative and, in particular political changes. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that sever...

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Main Author: Retha Gaigher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2024-12-01
Series:Acta Academica
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/8870
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author Retha Gaigher
author_facet Retha Gaigher
author_sort Retha Gaigher
collection DOAJ
description South Africa is currently dealing with the transformation of health care into an equitable, national health care system driven by a primary health care approach. This requires a complicated sec of administrative and, in particular political changes. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that several of the visible changes in health care hastily implemented to make good on election promises did not result from policies based on genuine community needs. This article argues that the main reason for the presence of chis health care pathology is that the government has tried to effect transformation by means of hastily constructed visible changes, despite the absence of the structures needed to drive and support these changes. It also attempts to explain why a sizeable sector of the population is unable to experience the transformation of health care as an improvement.
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2415-0479
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spelling doaj-art-b3de64f2d6e14cefbbfda124e7924e5c2024-12-07T11:38:05ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Academica0587-24052415-04792024-12-01321The political pathology of health care policy in South AfricaRetha Gaigher South Africa is currently dealing with the transformation of health care into an equitable, national health care system driven by a primary health care approach. This requires a complicated sec of administrative and, in particular political changes. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that several of the visible changes in health care hastily implemented to make good on election promises did not result from policies based on genuine community needs. This article argues that the main reason for the presence of chis health care pathology is that the government has tried to effect transformation by means of hastily constructed visible changes, despite the absence of the structures needed to drive and support these changes. It also attempts to explain why a sizeable sector of the population is unable to experience the transformation of health care as an improvement. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/8870
spellingShingle Retha Gaigher
The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
Acta Academica
title The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
title_full The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
title_fullStr The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
title_short The political pathology of health care policy in South Africa
title_sort political pathology of health care policy in south africa
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/aa/article/view/8870
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