Factors Hindering Access to Healthcare Services in Peri-Urban Communities in Johannesburg, South Africa (Published)
Access to healthcare is a major problem for diverse reasons in Africa. This study developed a conceptual model to address the factors that hinder patients from accessing and navigating healthcare services in peri-urban communities in Johannesburg, South Africa. A mixed methods research strategy was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Semi-structured interviews and field notes were used for qualitative data collection, while hand-delivered questionnaires were used for collecting quantitative data. Outpatients, administration, and medical personnel that worked at various research sites constituted the sample. The findings identified poor infrastructure, poverty and geographical location as factors hindering healthcare access. Additionally, the study revealed that healthcare policies contributed to the marginalisation of poor communities and recommended a review of such policies to involve various stakeholders. The planned implementation of National Health Insurance and the need for a comprehensive social security system were also recommended as strategies to address the hindrances. Finally, a conceptual model was developed to drive behavioural change in the public and private healthcare systems, leading to affordable and sustainable improvement in accessing, navigating, and using healthcare services.
Keywords: Access, HealthCare Services, Poverty, healthcare policies, medical services, peri-urban communities
Problems and Prospects of Poverty Alleviation Programmes in Nigeria (Published)
Several poverty alleviation programmes in Nigeria, initiated by both the Government and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), aimed at combating and alleviating poverty, have been found not to be successful. Instead of reducing the incidence of poverty, which is their sole aim, these programmes tend to serve as means for draining the national resources due to the pursuit of parochial interests, as a result fostering corruption and dishonesty. For a successful implementation of these programmes, the government and the implementation agencies must take a more proactive approach and specifically look into the area of poor management and poor accountability, among staff. Also poverty is a multidimensional issue, hence cannot be fought focusing only on one sector of the economy, strategies for poverty reduction must also be multidimensional, focusing on all sectors, as well as, on the emancipation of the poor. Strengthen the existing poverty alleviation strategies and ensuring good management could be one major way towards the effective performance of existing poverty alleviation programmes.
Keywords: Nigeria, Poverty, Poverty Alleviation, Poverty alleviation programmes