By Caitlin Hollenburg (3848747)
“Health care is a right, not a privilege.”- Edward Kennedy
The above image, which I have taken, depicts cutlery poised over an empty plate, as it would be when one is in the process of eating a meal. The person holding the knife and fork, is a representative of the masses, that being the everyday South Africa citizen. The empty plate, being a representative of the South African health care system. The mere fact that the cutlery is in the hands of the person, implies that the citizens of South Africa are ready to consume a meal. It should be noted that the act of eating in this image, should be synonymous with that of seeking adequate health care.
Consuming food, is an important part of one’s life as it provides one with the energy and nutrients needed to grow and develop, to be healthy, active, to work, think as well as learn and aids in sustaining and keeping one alive. Similarly the various health care facilities in South Africa play the same roles in every individual’s life. The empty plate however, reflects the unfortunate reality of healthcare in our country- there isn’t enough food to offer, therefore some people’s plates are empty. This may be due to the inadequate health care that patients receive along with the lack of access to these health care facilities. Furthermore, the cutlery over the plate can be interpreted as the South African citizens who are hungry to ‘eat’ i.e. in need of accessing adequate healthcare, the ‘food’ they need in order to be sustained and kept alive.
Majority of South Africans are eating from an empty plate, that’s to say that the health care system has abandoned them. The health care system comprises of private and public health sectors, however a large percentage of South Africans only have access to health facilities provided by the public sector due to financial constraints. Statistics show that the public sector provides health care access to 84% of patients in South Africa. Of this 84%, a vast amount, is the country’s most vulnerable poor. These individuals are being deprived of adequate health care due to lack of management skills, overcrowding, long waiting lines for treatment, irregular buying of goods, poor financial management and a lingering shortage of skilled human resources, due to lack of funds (Dhai & Mahomed, 2018). Ultimately these citizens are eating nothing as they are not being sustained. This lack of food eventually leads to illness and soon after leads to death. Similarly, with the inadequate health care in South Africa, people will continue to fall ill, due to disease and illness and sadly loose their lives in the process. While majority eat out of empty plates, only the fortunate can eat from full plates due to insurance, medical aid and private health care. Sadly, these are luxuries which a vast amount of individuals cannot have on their plates do to lack of funds thus these people have to continue starving whilst scrambling for crumbs, until they can have a taste of what they truly need to help them live sustained and healthy lives.
The colour grey is said to be associated with the meaning of dull, dingy and dirty. The grey plate could then symbolize the appearance of many of the public health care facilities, due to poor infrastructure and management, due to lack of funding. This colour is also associated with loss and depression. This could signify the families who have lost loved ones in hospitals, due to inadequate treatment and limited health personal. For many this colour may instill an unsettling feeling. This may represent that exact feelings that patients experience upon arrival at these dilapidated facilities. The appalling state of these health care facilities leaves patients feeling agitated and doubtful, as to whether or not they are going to exit these same doors whilst still alive (Bourn, 2010).
References
Bourn, J. (2010). Colour Meaning: Meaning of colour grey. Retrieved May 3, 2019, from https://www.bourncreative.com/meaning-of-the-color-grey/
Dhai, A., & Majomed, S. (2018). Health care in crisis: A shameful disrespect of our constitution, 11(1). Retrieved May 3, 2019, from http://www.sajbl.org.za/index.php/sajbl/article/view/581/554
One thought on “The South African Health Care Crisis”
I like your picture very good. It describes a lot off ow the Health Care system has evolved. The thing that you write about is very importent, because everyone has right to get food on their table. You ave e very good language that is easy to understand and that gives a lot off information. Do you know how you could solve this problem in your country? Do you have some solution off how you the health care system should be fixed? All in all, this is very good text and i liked it when i read it from the top to the bottom 🙂