Democratic societies are often judged by their commitment to basic human rights such as healthcare and education. For years under apartheid public health services were only available to a small portion of the population, while the majority of South Africans had inadequate or no access to healthcare.
In post-apartheid South Africa the provision and access to healthcare is included in our Constitution as a fundamental right. As we celebrate Human Rights Month we are reminded of how different South Africa is today.
As a direct result of the destructive policies of apartheid the life of an African female was nine years shorter when compared to that of a white female. In addition, the Infant Mortality Rate amongst Africans was six times higher than that of whites.
When the democratic administration under former President Nelson Mandela came to power, the health needs of women and children were prioritised through the introduction of free maternal and child healthcare. It was particularly successful in decreasing mortality rates.
This was the first among a number of other life changing initiatives in healthcare that were implemented over the next three administrations. By 2009, when President Jacob Zuma took office, the post-apartheid government had already significantly improved access to healthcare, but some challenges remained.
To address these, the new administration took bold steps. 2009 became “the year in which South Africa turned the corner”, according to the Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi. He indicated at that point, HIV and AIDS contributed to 49 per cent of maternal and 35 per cent of under-5 mortality.
In 2010 government implemented new antiretroviral (ARV) measures which mostly benefitted children and pregnant HIV positive women. Over the following four years it saved many lives and prevented children from becoming AIDS orphans.
The decline in mother-to-child rate of HIV transmission from 8 per cent in 2008 to 2 per cent in 2013 also bears testimony to the effectiveness of our ARV campaign. As a result more than 100 000 babies were protected from HIV infection.
Government also implemented the HIV Testing and Counselling campaign to encourage South Africans to know their HIV status. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted that women had responded well to the testing campaign. As a result, a significantly higher percentage of eligible women are now on ARV treatment compared to eligible men.
Over and above the impact of the 2010 turnaround in HIV management, government has through other health initiatives decreased the mortality rate. In 2009 we expanded our immunisation programme to include the Pneumococcal and Rotavirus vaccines. These vaccines have already made an impact to combat pneumonia and diarrhoea amongst children.
In addition, this month nurses from the Department of Health will also start administering the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine to school girls aged 9 and 10 in grade 4. It will be followed up with a second dose six months later.
The impact of this public health milestone cannot be overstated; it will greatly contribute to the reduction of cervical cancer which is mostly associated with HPV. This measure is even more critical in South Africa where the incidence of cervical cancer is significantly higher than the global average.
Parents and guardians of grade 4 schoolgirls are encouraged to support this drive by giving their consent and discussing the significance of this vaccination with their daughters.
The HPV vaccination campaign forms part of the Integrated School Health Programme which was launched in 2012. This programme aims to provide essential health services to pupils, especially in the country's neediest schools. In the 2012/13 financial year alone it has benefitted an estimated 652 258 learners.
Government has furthermore been working towards improving reproductive healthcare. A fortnight ago Minister Motsoaledi launched the yearlong National Family Planning Campaign which will educate South Africans about family planning and different contraceptive methods.
As part of this campaign, a new innovative contraception known as Subdermal Contraceptive is now available free of charge at all public hospitals. It is an unobtrusive device implanted under the skin on the upper inner arm that prevents unplanned pregnancies for three years.
We would nevertheless like to remind South Africans to practise “dual protection” by using a contraceptive method and a condom. By doing so, you will be protected against unintended pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
An additional area that we continue to address is the maternal mortality rate. In recognition of this, we adopted the African Union’s Campaign on the Accelerated Reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality in Africa (CARMMA) in 2012 which consists of a series of interventions at community and health facility level.
As President Zuma stated during his State of the Nation Address: “We have a good story to tell!”. After 20 Years of Freedom, we made good progress in providing South Africans with the healthcare which will ensure that they live longer, healthier lives.
Phumla Williams is Acting CEO of the Government Communications and Information System (GCIS)
