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How many health ministers has SA had in the last 30 years? And how have they fared? (ER Productions Limited/Getty Images)
- In the past three decades, South African health has faced Aids denialism, tuberculosis battles, Covid-19, and administrative scandals.
- But the country also had big wins: rolling out antiretrovirals to millions of people with HIV, stricter rules about smoking, decriminalising sex work, and making abortions safe and legal.
- There's still lots to tackle. Climate change is the biggest health threat of the century, we've not beaten HIV yet, TB remains the leading killer disease in the country, obesity is a big problem, and service delivery is limping along.
From struggles and scandals to feats and forward-thinking — South Africa's health system has seen it all over the past 30 years.
In this month's Health Beat, Bhekisisa asked public officials, activists, health workers, legal experts and ordinary citizens to look back on how things have changed — and what it means for the future of healthcare in the country.
* This story was produced by the Bhekisisa Centre for Health Journalism. Sign up for the newsletter.
