2

Women in Healthcare

About the Businesswomen’s Association
The Businesswomen’s Association (BWA), a national association with 10 branches countrywide, is the largest 

and most prominent association of business and professional women in South Africa, and the voice of 

women in business. 
Through strategic partnerships with sponsors, non

-profit organizations, leading companies, business schools 

and international associations, it provides on-going opportunities to advance the interests of women in 

business, contributes to economic discussion and helps drive initiatives that result in socio

-economic growth.

Farzanah Mall

National Board Director and 

Regional Chairperson: BWA

Weonlyrealisethevalueofgoodhealthcarewhenweourselvesareapatientorwehaveamother,father,
child,sibling,familymemberorclosefriendasapatient.Wethenbecomesogratefulforthecompassionate
nurse,thecleanhospital,theexperienced,committeddoctor,thepromptmedicalaidthatensuresallcosts
arecovered.Wearesothankfulthatwiththerightaffordablemedicationandcorrecttreatmentplanour
lovedonesrecoverwithease…EXCEPTTHISISNOTAREALITYFORALL….

Introduction

TheBusinesswomen’s

AssociationinKwaZulu-Natalhaslaunchedaseriesofleadershipbreakfaststoimprove

networksamongstwomenleadersandtodiscusskeyeconomicimpacts.

AGEINGISNOTJUSTABOUTDECAY,it’saboutgrowthandwisdom.Ifwetakethelessons
ofourpast,wecouldlearnandtogethercreatebetterhealthsystemsforfuturegenerations.

Thepurposeofthe“womeninhealth”leadershipsummitwastoengagewithleadersinhealthinboththepublicand

privatesector,aswellaswomenleadersinbusiness,todiscussthechallengesandsolutionsinthisimportantsector.

Good,qualityhealthcareforallisarightentrenchedintheSouthAfricanconstitution.Yetalargeportionofour

populationdonothaveaccesstoadequatecare.ThePrivatesectorcatersforapproximately8.7million(17%)South

African’sandconsumesaboutR122billionofnationalhealthcarespend,whilethePublicsectorcaresforapproximately

42million(83%)SouthAfrican’sandconsumesR121billion.ItisalsointerestingthatSouthAfricahasmorewomenin

leadershippositionscomparedtoothersimilareconomiesyetwehaveoneofthehighestratesofviolenceagainst

womenandchildren.Thisisacriticalissueandonethataffectswomenonanumberofdifferentlevels–beingthe

mothersofourchildren,thecaregiversandprotectorsofhealth.
Iwouldliketothankalltheleadersthatparticipatedinthisdiscussion,particularlytheKZNDepartmentofHealthHOD-

DrSibongileZungu,FirstladyoftheProvince-ThembekaMchunu,ProfessorJerryCoovadia,DrMayMkhize,Prof

QuarraishaAbdoolKarim,DrAnuschkaCoovadiaandDrAugustaDorning.WhenIlookedattheattendees,whatstruck

mewasnotonlytheintellectualpowerandbusinesssuccessesofthewomenintheroombutthepassionand

commitmentofthewomentocontributetoabetterhealthcaresystemforallandhowproudweshouldbeofSouth
Africanwomen.

Inthispieceofthoughtleadership,wehavebuiltupauniquecompilationofSouthAfricanhealthcaredatarelatedto

women,togetherwiththeviewsofthewomenleaderswhoattendedthebreakfast.Wepresenttheirhopesandfears,

perspectivesandrecommendationsforhealthcarereform.Iamsureyouwillfindthedataandtheviewsasinteresting

asIdid.
Iammostgratefultothesponsorsofthebreakfast,ABSA,WomenofAfricaFuelsandOils,KPMGandUnilever,

withoutwhomthisimportantdiscussionwouldnothaveoccurred.