Health systems recovery after COVID-19
It brings me great pleasure to present the 25th edition of the South African Health Review (SAHR) on behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Health Systems Trust. As we recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on society, it is critical that we reflect on the lessons learned, apply these insights to strengthen the country’s response to public health emergencies, and develop more resilient health systems.
The 2022 SAHR includes commentary from healthcare workers, researchers, government advisors, academics, activists, and members of the community. It encompasses reflections and lessons learned, ranging from the complexity of providing evidence-informed technical guidance at policy level during a rapidly evolving pandemic with devastating nation-wide health, social, and economic consequences on the one hand, to the responses and experiences of discrete parts of the health system on the other. These diverse perspectives provide essential information on various approaches to COVID-19, as well as salutary lessons for new and diverse ways of rebuilding and rethinking our health system.
The 2022 SAHR was curated as a supplement to the 2021 edition, which addressed the response of government and the broader health sector to COVID-19, investigated the challenges facing the health system, and focused on how to begin rebuilding a better system.
I wish to offer the Board’s heartfelt appreciation to the SAHR production team, as well as the authors, peer reviewers, and the SAHR Editorial Advisory Committee, which advises the editorial team. The joint involvement of internal and external peer reviewers, as well as the authors’ openness to accommodate collegial feedback and editorial discussion, have strengthened the publication.
I hope that this historic 25th edition of the SAHR will continue to make an important contribution to the improvement of our healthcare system and enhance the delivery of healthcare services under both ordinary and extraordinary conditions.
Professor Salome Maswime
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees
Health Systems Trust
Watch an overview of the articles here: