8
Women in Healthcare
Violence
and Injury,
self-inflicted
harm, physical
and emotional
abuse and
social
isolation
Gastro-
intestinal:
Irritable bowel
syndrome,
polyps,
cancers
Infectious
diseases:
Influenza and
Pneumonia
Skin
conditions:
cancers, acne,
psoriasis,
eczema,
rosacea,
pigmentation,
wrinkles and
hair loss
Substance
abuse:
smoking,
drugs and
alcohol
HIV/AIDS and
Tuberculosis
Cancers:
breast,
cervical,
ovarian,
colorectal
Obstetric: HIV
related maternal
mortality,
unplanned &
complicated
pregnancies,
infertility,
teenage
pregnancy
Depression
and Anxiety,
Bipolar Mood
Disorder,
Schizophrenia
Cardiovascular:
Heart disease,
Stroke,
Diabetes,
Hypertension
and Metabolic
Syndrome
Gynaecological
–vaginal pain,
menopause,
endometrioses,
fibroids
Critical human
resources
shortages
Inadequate
and poorly
maintained
Facilities
Financial
resource
constraints
Management
and
Leadership
challenges
Medicines
supply
management
–inconsistent,
stock-outs,
cost
Governance
structures not
embedded in
clinical
practice
Major
weaknesses
in the
health system
Top
diseases affecting
women in SA
Patients are
non-compliant
to treatment
regimes or
default from
management
plan
Lack of
support from
peers, other
healthcare
workers,
administrators
and
communities
Patients
present late
with advanced
disease which
could have
been avoided
Bureaucracy
Referral
system not
supporting
systems
requirements
Lack of
alignment with
Medical
Schemes with
regards to
benefits, tariffs
and managed
care protocols
High burden
of disease –
driven by
HIV/AIDS and
tuberculosis
Poor co-
ordination of
care
Corruption
and wastage
Lack of single IT
platform that is
able to integrate
across different
facilities, aspects
of care and
specialties and
provide clinical
and financial data
The impact of
a high disease burden
in South Africa is exacerbated by structural, operational
and financial
weaknesses in our health system