This activity is an opportunity to contribute to my e-Portfolio and will also be useful for the Course Paper. In this activity, I'm developing competencies in scholarship and systems thinking.
There are many health-related challenges that impact the health system in South Africa, from structural concerns, the burden of disease, and socio-political or environmental factors. Given my understanding of pressing health issues, I chose a focus area to research.
The South African concern that I chose to look at is the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Some of these diseases that I looked at were diabetes, hypertension, and also cardiovascular health concerns, and how these were influenced by difference socio-economic and socio-political inequalities and how there are limited healthcare access to be treated.
Health issues are complex, interrelated and changing. From the literature that I have sourced, I've traced a timeline of my chosen health issue. This is not a linear historical analysis, but rather my own picture of how the issue I have chosen has changed over time.
For a justification to be made we firstly need to ask the question, why should we focus on non-communicable diseases in South Africa?
NCDs have a high mortality rate in South Africa, contributing to almost 51% of the total deaths in South Africa (WHO, 2022). Diabetes in South Africa is currently the leading cause of death in the country. The problem area of NCDs is that it links directly to the social determinants of health. With increasing areas of poverty, discrimination and inequalities problems arose in dietary patters and limited access to sufficient healthcare, this problem worsens the NCD framework in marginalised underdeveloped communities.
With the rise of NCDs it also had an impact on the economic status of South Africa, the strains of NCDs contributes to the strains on the healthcare system and the workforce and productivity of medical professionals.
By mapping the problem of rising NCDs in South Africa, I can highlight the different inequalities, discrimination and the policy reforms that has contributed to the growth of non-communicable diseases in South Africa. NCDs should be made a priority to prevent any other strains on the healthcare system.
The South African NDP aims to reduce but yet eliminate NCDs by 2030. They plan to do this by implementing programs that strengthen primary healthcare, as well as early detection on non-communicable diseases. Such as regulating tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy diet plans. If we focus on NCDs and how to reduce them, only then can we develop a goal of eliminating them. Focusing on NCDs aligns to both global and local (national) commitments in prevention strategies, early intervention methods, and policy reforms that migrate the long-term impacts of NCDs.
This activity gave me the opportunity to explore a significant health challenge in South Africa in greater depth. By focusing on non-communicable diseases, I've been able to identify how socioeconomic and political factors contribute to health inequities in the country.
The research has highlighted the complex interrelationships between poverty, access to healthcare, policy frameworks, and health outcomes. Understanding these connections is essential for developing effective interventions that address the root causes of NCDs rather than just their symptoms.
This activity has strengthened my systems thinking by requiring me to map the evolution of NCDs in South Africa and to consider the multiple factors that influence their prevalence and impact. It has also demonstrated the importance of considering both local contexts and global health priorities when addressing health challenges.
Below is documentation that provides evidence of my work on this activity and additional resources related to my chosen local health focus.