This 22nd edition of the South African Health Review (SAHR) is offered in memory of Health Systems Trust board member, and health activist extraordinaire, Professor David Sanders.
The purpose of the SAHR has always been to analyse and assess progress and challenges in key areas of the health system, and to propose recommendations for improvement. We are pleased to continue this tradition in the 2019 edition, which presents a unique collection of perspectives on the key challenges in implementing universal health coverage (UHC) in South Africa, as analysed by experts in various fields.
Each of the 20 chapters deals with aspects of the UHC journey, dedicated towards an equitable and inclusive national health system that leaves no-one behind. While some authors describe the fundamental changes and practical considerations required to reconfigure the country's health system, others have reflected on specific programmatic areas and have made recommendations from a National Health Insurance (NHI)/UHC lens.
In addition, we are pleased to announce that this year's edition includes two innovations. First is the provision of concise summaries of the chapters in the form of 'chapters at a glance'. These are positioned together at the start of the publication for ease of reference and to give a quick overview. The second innovation is the introduction of our Healthcare Workers' Writing Programme (HCWWP), which provides support to first-time authors wanting to publish in the Review.
As always, we are grateful to the South African National Department of Health for supporting the production of the Review. On behalf of the Board of the Health Systems Trust, we would like to thank the authors, reviewers, Editorial Advisory committee members, editorial team and administrative personnel who have worked tirelessly to produce another excellent edition of the SAHR.
Read the accompanying Press Release here.