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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.