With an annual healthcare budget of R21bn, the Eastern Cape faces R17bn in negligence litigation and is faltering under ‘deadly’ levels of incompetence and lack of capacity, reports Health-e News, In some areas, diarrhoea is the cause of death of the majority of children under five and 10% of pre-school child mortality is due to malnutrition.
Although it is famous among tourists for its exquisite beaches and potent dagga, life in the OR Tambo district municipality in the former Transkei, is far from beautiful for its residents. Health-e News reports that the district is one of the most deprived places in the country – barely 6% of homes have piped water while less than one in 10 households have flush toilets. ….more