Durban

It is well known that disabled people are among the most marginalised and oppressed groups within society. Their exclusion has been reinforced by discriminatory attitudes and practices that promote segregation and prejudice. The World Programme of Action Concerning Disabled Persons was promoted by the United Nations in 1982, and was later followed by the Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (UN 1993). Internationally, these were means by which to highlight the need for prevention of disability, rehabilitation and equalisation of opportunities for disabled people. Included in rehabilitation are measures to compensate for loss or limitation of function - one of these being through technical appliances. It is also recognised that a precondition to the equalisation of opportunities is the provision of support services - including assistive devices - to disabled people, because they enable the individuals participation on equal terms.

Durban Unicity Mayor Obed Mlaba has moved swiftly to tackle the cholera outbreak in the metropolitan area with a multi-million rand project to take clean water and proper sanitation to informal settlements and rural areas.

This report is intended primarily for health managers in KwaZulu-Natal, and all those involved in the collection of ReHMIS data. The information was obtained from ReHMIS, a health management information system implemented by the KwaZulu-Natal ReHMIS team. Data was collected from all health facilities (public and private),and related to available resources, and the nature and extent of services rendered. As standardised national definitions were used, the information is comparable across regions and across provinces in South Africa. Background information about KwaZulu-Natal relates to boundaries, populations and administration. Maps and tables of population distribution are provided as reference material. The report is placed in the context of decentralisation, the move toward equity, reorientation to primary health care and the health priorities of the Reconstruction and Development Programme, as these are the prime tasks facing managers.