The health of Tshepo - A guide for managers and governors

Along with the PHC approach, the development of the DHS represents the crux of current health reforms in South Africa. Both strategies are aimed at bringing health care closer to people in their communities. In the case of the PHC approach the purpose is to render health care with the involvement of the community, and in a manner that is acceptable, accessible and affordable to all. In the case of the DHS the underlying thrust is to devolve health care management to district and sub-district levels.

An effective District Health Management Team needs continuous, useful and reliable information in order to be able to plan, manage and evaluate services in an appropriate manner. That is precisely the purpose of this report: to inform health governors and health managers at district and sub-district levels on the state of health and health care in the areas under their responsibility. Apart from presenting detailed information on health and health care in Tshepo, the report also sketches the broader DHS framework within which the information fits and to which the information refers to.

Being the first of its kind for Tshepo, the authors hope that the report will be a useful tool for planning, prioritising and decision-making in the district. We also trust that the report will be updated annually, and that both its contents and use will improve as time passes.