Clinician-driven strategies to sustain health justice in the public health sector

Abstract

One objective of the South African National Health Act No. 61 of 2003 is the provision of best possible healthcare services to all within the limits of available resources.¹

Cost consciousness and prevention of wasteful expenditure is required to sustain the provision of a high standard and affordable medical care to all. When available resources are threatened and diminishing, as is the case in our nation in these recent months and likely to persist for the foreseeable future, elective surgeries are at imminent risk of being postponed indefinitely. The tendency to delay or postpone elective surgery emanates from the natural need to prioritise patients with acute life-threatening conditions or traumatic injuries which compete with elective pathologies for resources. Postponement of elective surgeries prolongs patient suffering and poor quality of life, and does not support the mandate of health justice.