A geospatial analysis of two-hour surgical access to district hospitals in South Africa

BMC Health Services Research

Kathryn M. Chu¹  Megan Naidoo¹  Angela J. Dell²  Sarah Rayne³  Stephanie van Straten³  Candy Day⁴  Harry Moultrie⁵ 

[1]Centre for Global Surgery, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University

[2]Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town

[3]Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand

[4]Health Systems Research Unit, Health Systems Trust

[5]School of Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand

关键词: Global surgery;    Surgical access;    Geographic information systems;    Surgical capacity;    District hospital;    South Africa;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-020-05637-0

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background In a robust health care system, at least 80% of a country’s population should be able to access a district hospital that provides surgical care within 2 hours. The objective was to identify the proportion of the population living within 2 hours of a district hospital with surgical capacity in South Africa. Methods All government hospitals in the country were identified. Surgical district hospitals were defined as district hospitals with a surgical provider, a functional operating theatre, and the provision of at least one caesarean section annually. The proportion of the population within two-hour access was estimated using service area methods. Results Ninety-eight percent of the population had two-hour access to any government hospital in South Africa. One hundred and thirty-eight of 240 (58%) district hospitals had surgical capacity and 86% of the population had two-hour access to these facilities. Conclusion Improving equitable surgical access is urgently needed in sub-Saharan Africa. This study demonstrated that in South Africa, just over half of district hospitals had surgical capacity but more than 80% of the population had two-hour access to these facilities. Strengthening district hospital surgical capacity is an international mandate and needed to improve access.

【 授权许可】

Unknown