Publications
HST provides free electronic access to over 500 health systems research related reports, publications and papers. Close to 300 of these are publications that have been commissioned and funded by the Trust. Topics include among others district systems development, drug supply management, human resource development, informatics, legislation, finance, environmental health, mental health, lessons learnt, nutrition and sexually transmitted diseases / HIV/AIDS. The main publication of the HST is the annual South African Health Review. From 2005 all HST publications will be available in low resolution only. To explore the range of publications HST offers use the Advanced search to search using a variety of criteria.

Part I of the report sets out the objectives, the sources of information and the process of using ReHMIS. It also provides demographic information for planners and brings out the fact that this is a Province with a largely rural population. Population density and Regional and District Boundaries are shown on maps. The administration and organisation for health and the movement and changes towards equity which has started are described.

Part II covers first the types and distribution by region of all health facilities. Second human resources are described in detail - the numbers and categories of staff, where they work and where they are trained. The financial resources are also described. In this section which describes Provincial and Local authority resources (but not the private sector) the relationships to population are calculated for each region so that disparities are brought into focus.

Part III describes important programmes and services by bringing together all relevant information. Primary Health Care and Hospital Services are described, followed by Maternal Child and Women's Health (MCWH) Services. In each description of a service or programme the facilities, equipment, trained staff, and utilisation of the service are described. The other services described are emergency services mental health oral health rehabilitation medicolegal services environmental health communicable disease control radiological, laboratory, pharmaceutical and health information services. In each of these services the lack of equity between regions is highlighted. ReHMIS does not provide adequate information on environmental health and communicable disease control. For the latter additional data was sought because it was important to emphasise the problem of Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS/STD in the province.

The Eastern Cape has very active community health workers and traditional practitioners so these are both described in chapters to stimulate discussion of their role in relation to the formal health sector.