Assessment of the Ehlanzeni district health transport and logistic funtion: enhancing rural healthcare delivery systems

Abstract

Paper presented at the 28th Annual Southern African Transport Conference 6 - 9 July 2009 "Sustainable Transport", CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, South Africa.This paper seeks to establish a baseline against which to assess the impacts of the 'Ehlanzeni District Health Transport Function' for the district's healthcare service delivery output, and by extension, health and welfare outcomes. The main objective of the study was to conduct a strategic analysis of how the transport subsystem of the health and welfare system is linked to subsets of transport-dependent processes of healthcare delivery including the resultant impact on healthcare outcomes. A variety of qualitative and quantitative instruments were employed to gather data to respond to the study research questions. The study findings confirmed the existence of healthcare transport and logistics supply bottlenecks. These have tended to negatively impact on the delivery of healthcare commodities and services for Ehlanzeni residents. Inflexion points in the healthcare delivery continuum have been identified and a range of intervention options serving as counter-measures generated. A strand of thought that filters through the discussion is that the establishment of a district transport authority or a strengthened transport function could possibly be the fulcrum of a sustainable healthcare transport and logistics, and by extension, pro-poor healthcare delivery system.