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Unsung heroes

“So who is speaking from Hlabisa?” says the facilitator.

We all look at each other. Or rather, all the nurses look at me. I heave myself up and go to the front of the room. The tables are arranged in 5 groups around which sit an assortment of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff – each representing one of the 5 hospitals in our district.

We are in a hotel in Hluhluwe. It is the 6 monthly regional anti-retroviral roll-out meeting. Three or so years ago the KZN Dept of Health asked the University’s Centre for Rural Health to support and improve the ARV roll-out in our district. They brought in an American organisation, the “Institute for Health Improvement”.

“What does the Institute for Health Improvement do?” I asked Bud, the very American representative from IHI, at the first meeting I attended.

“We’re into health system improvement,” he drawled. “You’re from the UK, right?” I nodded. He grinned triumphantly. “We were behind many of the recent improvements in your NHS!”

Fortunately the improvements in the Umkhanyakude (our district) ARV programme are open to less debate than would those in the UK NHS. As each hospital has presented its figures we are startled to discover that between the five of us we have over 10,000 people on treatment. Since there are allegedly just over 100,000 people on treatment in the province it is extraordinary that 5 rural hospitals can alone count for 10% of that.

As I talk and describe the work being done at our hospital I find myself terribly moved. Moved by the work and commitment of all the people here and their passion to see their countrymen and women receiving the best care available. Moved by their drive to see things improved when government has not necessarily been behind them, and when there was no leadership to look to. And amazed by what they have achieved. Sure, it is not just about numbers and yes, there are loads of problems with the quality and accessibility of healthcare. But were it not for people such as those in this room it would be so much worse.

I finish my presentation with a statistic gleaned from a local research institute. Their survey of deaths in the community has identified significant drop in deaths among young adults over the last 2 years. Of course, it could be some dramatic improvement in road safety. Or perhaps food hygiene.

But I think it is because of the people in this room.

See here for a review of ARV rollout in SA.

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