Access to Emergency Medical Services in the Eastern Cape Hearing Report

2015 - PDF - The South African Human Rights Commission (“SAHRC” or “Commission”) is specifically mandated to promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights, as well as to monitor and assess the observance of human rights in South Africa. 

In 2007, the Commission hosted a Public Hearing on Access to Health Care Services, which partly examined emergency transport and transportation costs. The Commission found that there appeared to be insufficient provision of emergency care, which impacted especially harshly on rural patients, and further noted that the cost of transport was a major prohibitive factor in accessing their health entitlements.

Drawing from a number of written and oral submissions made by community representatives this report aims to provide insight into the complex and inter-related challenges in the delivery of and access to emergency medical services and healthcare in general in the Eastern Cape. The report also highlights the fact that poverty remains an inherent barrier to accessing basic services, and that measures aimed at addressing the current difficulties cannot be taken by the Department of Health alone, but requires committed and in-depth cooperation and collaboration between departments and inter-sphere level of government, with further partnership needed with both civil society and communities in order to create sustainable solutions and achieve equitable service delivery on the ground.

Available for download - Access to Emergency Medical Services in the Eastern Cape Hearing Report