NO ENTRY. Not only does this mean that you simply cannot enter, but if you think really, really hard, there’s actually so much more to it. NO ENTRY. Seeing this sign makes your heart drop instantaneously. It prevents you from going somewhere you envisioned you would go, it prevents you from moving forward to bigger, better things.
When I think about the healthcare system of South Africa, the “no entry” road sign that one would frequently find on our roads, especially at one-way streets, is what pops into my mind. From my point of view, looking at our healthcare system overall does not bring me any joy, only anxiety and long waits. There is generally no improvement, from the actual infrastructure, to equipment and healthcare workers. This is where the “no entry” road sign comes into play. No improvement means no moving forward and no moving on to bigger, better things. Our healthcare system is standing in front of an area that cannot be trespassed, our healthcare system is standing in front of a “no entry” road sign, not able to make progress.
My heart breaks for patients who make use of our healthcare system frequently. It is definitely not one of convenience. When going for check-ups, patients are not allowed to enter upon arrival. Instead they need to sit and wait on hard, cold chairs until a nurse addresses them in a rude, loud and insensitive manner. Patients dread being part of our healthcare system, they try to avoid it by whatever means possible because it seems like a dead-end, like there’s no progress, like there’s no moving forward.
Patients can access so many services, they can see a countless amount of specialists, but only when there’s time, only when there’s an opening. Patients who require physiotherapy need to wait months for appointments. My grandmother, who does not have medical aid, suffers from arthritis. She was referred to a physiotherapist back in March and could only get an appointment for July. Heartbreaking. The elderly suffering from conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis are in immense pain because they were given the “no entry” sign, a sign that indicates no progression. How are our people supposed to get better? How are our people supposed to move forward?
An article titled Primary Health Services at district level in South Africa: a critique of the primary health care approach discusses how the healthcare at a district level is slow and inconsistent. Certain areas are thriving while others are not, and nothing can grow and move forward from an inconsistent process. Pandemics are one of the main reasons that our healthcare system is deteriorating. Pandemics are the reason that resources for basic primary healthcare are depleted. The unfavourable conditions of our infrastructure, the healthcare workers with poor leadership qualities and the lack of resources and equipment will ensure that unmet health needs will persist and that our healthcare system will continue standing in front of the “no entry” road sign, not able to move forward or make any progress (Dookie & Singh, 2012).
https://bmcfampract.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2296-13-67
One thought on “We’re Stuck – Amy du Plessis”
Hi Amy,
Thank you for your reflection on this assignment, I found it very interesting and I think the photo and text support one another. It is sad reading that you feel that the healthcare system in South Africa is not moving forward and there is no progress. The way you describe the experience with the health care system, it almost seems like you have personal experience with it, or know people that have. I think your text and photo reflects a problem that is common, not only in South Africa, but also many other places, and at some points what it’s like in Norway. Are there any resources that can support the claim you make about long waiting? That would help me as a Norwegian, to understand how long the wait is, compared to how long it is in Norway. It would have been interesting to hear what you think can improve the healthcare system in South Africa.
When it comes to the writing and grammar, I have not noticed any mistakes and I find your text easy to read.
Overall I think this assignment is good and it was interesting for me to read. It gives me a better understanding in what patients in South Africa can meet when needed help.
Best regards
Martine Flakk