The Importance of Indigenous Languages in Health-Care Services: Some Observations from Limpopo Province, South Africa

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lekau Eleazar Mphasha ◽  
Rachel Tsakane Lebese
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Indigenous Languages ◽  
Care Services

scholarly journals Community perception of quality of (primary) health care services in a rural area of Limpopo Province, South Africa: a qualitative study

Curationis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
T-AB Mashego ◽  
K Peltzer
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Preventive Health Care ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Health Care Services

The aim of the study was to survey perceptions of quality of (primary) health care services provided in rural communities in the Limpopo province. Ten focus groups discussions were held with community members chosen by convenience from public places from four villages in the central region of the Limpopo Province. The sample included 42 women and 34 men (76 participants). Results indicated perceived quality discussed within the following categories: (1) conduct of staff (reception, communication, discrimination, care and compassion, respect for privacy), (2) technical care (examination, explanation of treatment, responsiveness, treatment outcomes), (3) health care facility, (4) health care organisation, (5) drugs (availability, explanation, effectiveness, payment), and (6) waiting time. The findings suggest some satisfaction with free basic and preventive health care and social services provided but there is a need to look closely into the interpersonal dimension of the services provided, provision of medication with adequate explanation to patients on the medication given, and on structural aspects, there is need for the government to give support to the clinics to provide adequate services. Improving drug availability, interpersonal skills (including attitudes towards patients) and technical care have been identified as the three main priorities for enhancing perceived quality of primary health care and health policy action.

scholarly journals Community perceptions of biomedical health care in a rural area in the Northern Province South Africa

2000 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Peltzer
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Rural Area ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Northern Province ◽  
Community Perceptions ◽  
Bamako Initiative ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Primary Health Care Services

The success of strategies to revitalize primary health care services such as those advocated by the Bamako Initiative requires a response adapted to the expectations of the populations, especially in terms of quality. The goal of this study was to investigate community perceptions of availability, accessibility, acceptability and affordability of biomedical health care services in a rural area of the Northern Province in South Africa. *Please note: This is a reduced version of the abstract. Please refer to PDF for full text.

scholarly journals Experiences of primary health care nurses regarding the provision of free health care services in the Northern region of the Limpopo Province

Curationis ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
VO Netshandama ◽  
L Nemathaga ◽  
SN Shai-Mahoko
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Northern Region ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Health Centres ◽  
Free Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care Nurses

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of primary health care nurses working in the clinics and health centres involved in the provision of free health care services. The research design followed was exploratory, descriptive and qualitative. The population of the study included all primary health care nurses working at the clinics and health centres in the Vhembe (northern) region of the Limpopo Province. The sampling method used was purposive for the samples of both the clinics and the nurses. The inclusion criteria for the nurses included experience of two or more years in providing primary health care. The inclusion criteria for the selection of clinics included being a busy clinic (a minimum of 2000 patients per month) with a staff establishment of four or more primary health care nurses. In conducting this research, ethical principles were taken into account. Data was collected from 23 participants in the Northern Region. The research question read as follows: What are your experiences regarding the provision of free health care services? An open coding method consisting of eight steps provided by Tesch's (1990:140-145) eight-step method of analysing data was used. The research findings revealed that the primary health care nurses working in the clinics experience feelings of failure to provide adequate primary health care services due to the increased workload, misuse of the service, and fear associated with lack of security in the clinics and health centres. The conclusions drawn from this research are that on the one hand a poor mechanism exists for the monitoring of the implementation of free health services, and on another hand, there has been misuse of the facilities by the community. The concept “free health care service” has been misinterpreted.

scholarly journals The utilisation of the right of children to shelter to alleviate poverty in South Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
I Mc Murray ◽  
L Jansen Van Rensburg
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Human Dignity ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
The State ◽  
Economic Rights ◽  
Care Services ◽  
The Republic ◽  
The Right ◽  
Right Of Access

Children being the most vulnerable members of society are the one's most affected by living in poverty. This unacceptable situation can inter alia be attributed to the disastrous effects of Apartheid. During this unfortunate period in our nation's history millions of people were unjustly evicted from their homes and forced to live in deplorable conditions. Moreover, many of these people were left homeless or without the necessary adequate shelter. Children who were born into these circumstances were denied basic resources such as proper shelter, food, water and health care services. These unfortunate circumstances existed at the adoption of South Africa 's democratic Constitution. The preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa , 1996 reaffirms government's commitment to heal the inequalities of the past and improve the quality of life of all citizens. The Constitution is based on certain fundamental values, most importantly, human dignity, freedom and equality. The fact that these values are denied to those people living without access to basic resources such as adequate housing/shelter, food, water or health care services cannot be dismissed. To facilitate South Africa 's development as a democratic state based on human dignity, freedom and equality, the problem of poverty must be addressed. The Constitutional Court , in Government of the Republic of South Africa and Others v Grootboom and Others 2000 11 BCLR 1169 (CC), has recently stated that the effective realisation of socio-economic rights is key to the advancement of a value based democratic South Africa . Section 26 of the Constitution grants everyone the right to have access to adequate housing and section 28 that grants every child the additional right to basic shelter among others. By virtue of section 28(1)(b) the primary responsibility to provide children with the necessary adequate housing/shelter is vested in their parents, unless the parents are unable to fulfil their duty or the children are removed from their care. This does not in the least mean that the state has no responsibilities to children living with their parents. The state must still provide the framework in which parents can facilitate the realisation of their children's rights. The state can fulfil this obligation by taking reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to realise everyone's right of access to adequate housing progressively.  Therefore, it is submitted that the measures taken to realise section 26 also indirectly ensures the realisation of children's right to basic shelter (section 28(1)(c)). It has been largely accepted by the courts and academics alike that all fundamental human rights are indivisible and interrelated. Clearly then, the state's obligations in terms of section 28(1)(c) cannot be properly interpreted without referring to the interpretation of those obligations conferred upon it by section 26(2) and the other socio-economic rights in the Constitution. Hence, section 28(1)(c) must be seen in the context of the Constitution as a whole. Put simply, the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures within its available resources to realise children's right to basic housing/shelter progressively. This article will focus on the utilisation of the right to shelter of the child to alleviate poverty. Essential to this discussion is an effective understanding of the right to basic shelter as entrenched by section 28 of the Constitution in conjunction with the right of access to adequate housing conferred on everyone by virtue of section 26. This will be achieved by studying the general working of such rights including their limitations and enforcement. 

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