Kalahari

Since Primary Health Care (PHC) is now accepted as the foundation of health care delivery in South Africa, health districts have become the vehicle through which this health care system will be implemented. One of the main reasons for the establishment of the district health system is to engender a move towards decentralised health management. The basic modus operandi for the management and delivery of health care is through a hierarchical four-tiered structure: i.e. national, provincial, regional and district level. The national Department of Health is responsible for overall co-ordination and determination of national health policy the provincial Departments are responsible for the co-ordination of the health system within each province, for the provision of specialist health services, and for the monitoring and support of districts and the district/regional authorities are responsible for the actual delivery of health care and for the provision of non-specialist health services within each district.

This Kwik-Skwiz deals with the measurement of drug use patterns and prescribing behaviour and also with the structures which can be used to promote rational drug use at district level and how they can use such measurement information (indicator data). Examples from an indicator study completed in the Kalahari district of the Northern Cape are used to illustrate the use of such data.

Sharing experiences gained in drug management in three ISDS sites with other health districts in South Africa