By Ragheema Mclean
Long waiting times, overcrowded emergency centres and staff shortages have left many South Africans frustrated with the state of public healthcare. However, health experts argue that while the system is under immense strain, it is inaccurate to describe it as “collapsed”.
In the Western Cape, where hospitals continue to face growing demand from a rapidly expanding population, health officials say the challenge lies in balancing increasing healthcare needs with limited resources.
Speaking to VOC News, the Chief Operating Officer for the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, Dr Saadiq Karriem, said the province’s healthcare system has been under sustained pressure for several years but continues to function despite mounting challenges.
“I wouldn’t say it’s collapsing. We’ve experienced sustained pressure over time. Since COVID-19, we’ve had austerity measures, while healthcare needs have increased significantly. These effects are cumulative, and the public healthcare system has been under sustained pressure for at least the past five years. We’ve also had to deal with several significant disease outbreaks in the post-COVID period,” Karriem said.
He added that population growth and migration to the Western Cape have further increased demand for public healthcare services.
“Particularly in provinces like the Western Cape and Gauteng, we’ve experienced significant in-migration, with people moving from other provinces. I can speak for the Western Cape and say our healthcare system is stronger than that of some other provinces, which has resulted in more people seeking healthcare services here. As a result, we’ve had to continually adapt and respond to the growing population and the increased demand for healthcare,” he said.
Despite these ongoing pressures, Karriem said the province remains focused on strengthening service delivery while ensuring residents continue to have access to quality public healthcare.
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