Long distances & poor roads delay rural healthcare. About 15% of the population travel 1hr+ to a clinic, while 20% are an hour away to a hospital, then face ambulance shortages. These delays can lead to poor health outcomes for TB patients. Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

Teenage pregnancy is a major driver of school dropouts in SA. A Bushbuckridge study found that almost 16% of grade 8–11 girls fell pregnant during the study, making them 2.36x more likely to drop out, repeat grades, or struggle with attendance. Read more: bit.ly/3zBpjTp

In rural SA, mental health is under-resourced & often invisible. Dr Bianca Moffett warns: policies mean little without dedicated strategy & culturally relevant care. No one should be left behind. #WorldMentalHealthDay Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/07/ment...

Malnutrition remains a major challenge in South Africa’s fight against TB. In EC, lack of nutritional support, unemployment, and household hunger make treatment harder. TB survivor, Vuyiswa Zanekile stressed that patients would manage treatment better with enough food. #NationalNutritionWeek

Breast cancer affects thousands of SAs each year, but in rural communities, access to info, screening & care remains limited. This #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, we spotlight @CANSA's Zodwa Sithole who is working tirelessly to change this reality. Read more: rhap.org.za/2024/10/cham...

Coming up at #RHC2025, Hombakazi Mercy Nqandeka will explore resilience through an indigenous healing lens in Africa. Her work shows how African heritage shapes health and healing in rural contexts. We spoke to her to get her insights, read more here: rhap.org.za/2025/08/resi...

TB remains one of SA’s most persistent and deadly public health challenges, especially in rural areas. Ernest Nkanyana, a dedicated health worker and Chair of the Civil Society Forum in Bushbuckridge shares stark realities and solutions. Read more: bit.ly/4mIXv2V

Hombakazi Mercy Nqandeka reflects on the strength found in indigenous medicine and African heritage. Her views highlights how traditional knowledge continues to shape healing and resilience in rural communities. #AfricanTraditionalMedicineWeek Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/08/resi...

In rural Mpumalanga, Dr Nicole Fiolet is transforming women’s healthcare. At Tintswalo Hospital, she turned a gap in cervical cancer screening into one of the province’s few dedicated women’s clinics, tackling cervical cancer. #WomensMonth2025 Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/08/dr-n...

Is the voice of the patient considered? RHAP Director, Russell Rensburg, will unpack this question at the GIBS/PPS Healthcare Conference. This conversation is vital to ensuring that healthcare systems reflect patient realities and experiences.

Head of Advocacy at @CANSA, Zodwa Sithole's passion for cancer awareness was born from personal tragedy. She now leads national efforts to improve rural access to cancer screening, treatment, and support. Her work ensures no patient is left behind. Read: rhap.org.za/2024/10/cham...

The Rural Health Advocacy Project advocates for equitable access to quality health care for rural communities in SA. We advocate for equity in health policy, resource allocation, and service delivery, because rural lives matter too. #RuralHealth

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, bringing hope and healing, especially in #rural areas with limited medical access. Midwife Lungi Gamede shares her journey, highlighting the vital yet often unseen roles nurses play beyond medicine. Read more: rhap.org.za/2024/05/from...

August is a powerful reminder of how far women have come, from silenced voices to community leaders and nation-builders. As Thumeka Ndobane reflects, this month reminds women of their right to speak, lead, and be seen as more than their homely roles. #WomensMonth

"A mother is everything, the eye of the family and the nation. She leads, nurtures, teaches, and sacrifices. It’s time the state truly protects, values, and uplifts women for the role they play in shaping society," says Nontsokolo Sigcawu, a Mankosi village resident. #WomensMonth

Rural Champion | Jabulile Ndlovu is improving rural health through occupational therapy, supporting stroke survivors, children with disabilities, and people with mental health conditions to live fuller, more independent lives. #RuralHealth Read more: rhap.org.za/2024/07/cham...

In 2022, 40% of patients at SA clinics faced contraceptive stockouts. 76% lacked injectables. Many adolescent girls get fewer options & poor counselling, raising risks of side effects & unplanned pregnancies. #InternationalYouthDay Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

A Limpopo study highlighted challenges nurses face in promoting exclusive breastfeeding, such as staff shortages, and limited support. Solutions like health education, door-to-door campaigns, and policy implementation can improve outcomes. Read more: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

The 2024 Rural Health Conference highlighted the power of collaboration between service providers and communities. RHAP looks forward to #RHC2025 under the theme Rural Health in Real Life. #RuralHealth Read the recap here: rhap.org.za/2024/08/stro...

Traditional healers play a key role in rural mental health, offering first-line care and culturally grounded support. Collaborative care models linking traditional and biomedical systems expand access, reduce stigma, and improve early detection. Read more: bit.ly/3GZF3no

Mental health in rural SA needs more than awareness, it needs strong support. From youth-friendly services to traditional healer partnerships and better data, these grounded interventions highlight what real progress looks like. #ruralhealth Read more: bit.ly/3GZF3no

SA’s rural communities still battle to access basic healthcare due to overcrowded hospitals, understaffed clinics, and long distances worsened by poor roads and poverty. RHAP’s report shows how equitable UHC can help close these gaps. Read full report: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

This #MentalIllnessAwarenessMonth, RHAP spoke to Dr Bianca Moffett on the urgent need for a mental health strategy in rural SA. Urban awareness is rising, but rural areas still face silence, stigma & a dire lack of services. Read the full article here: bit.ly/3GZF3no

Nearly 1 in 3 South Africans live in rural areas, but mental health care remains out of reach. Women facing GBV are at high risk of depression and PTSD, yet in rural provinces, they’re often referred to cities due to a shortage of professionals. Read more: bit.ly/4dv4Yxi

Gender-based violence leaves invisible wounds. In KZN, 42.2% of rape survivors showed signs of depression, 32.7% had PTSD. In rural Limpopo, women spoke of isolation, anger, and hopelessness. Read more on our policy brief: bit.ly/4dv4Yxi

2023 @RitshidzeSA data shows patients still leave clinics without meds due to stockouts. North West (44.4%), Mpumalanga (31%), and Eastern Cape (19.6%) among the worst. In Dr Kenneth Kaunda, 50% of staff said this happened. Read more in our factsheet: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

In 2019/20, just over half (54.9%) of South Africa’s clinics met the required standard for proper healthcare. Rural provinces were worst off, Limpopo (28.9%), Eastern Cape (32.5%) and Northern Cape (34.6%). Read more on our factsheet: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

For RHAP, #MandelaDay means advocating for better healthcare in rural and underserved areas. In many provinces, clinics are over an hour away. Ambulances are scarce, in the Eastern Cape, there's less than 1 for every 10,000 people. This delays urgent care and affects treatment.

In rural SA, poor roads and distance make healthcare hard to reach. In the Eastern Cape, there is less than one ambulance per 10k people, far below the national standard. Many travel over an hour to get care. Read more in our TB in rural policy brief: bit.ly/44QmauV

ICYMI | Teenage pregnancy is a social justice emergency in rural South Africa. Over 90,000 girls aged 10–19 gave birth in 2024. 2,328 were just 10 to 14. This isn’t just a health issue; it’s a crisis of inequality, violence, and neglect. Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/07/teen...

WATCH | Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi announces R1b boost for SA’s HIV/AIDS response, including R750m from Treasury to close the gap left by US withdrawal of support. RHAP Director, Russell Rensburg calls it a step in the right direction. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn45...

The Rural Health Advocacy Project advocates for equitable access to quality health care for rural communities in SA. We advocate for equity in health policy, resource allocation, and service delivery, because rural lives matter too. #RuralHealth

This World Population Day, we call for a renewed focus on rural health, urging policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise the needs of rural populations in health planning and resource allocation. For more information and policy briefs, visit: rhap.org.za/resources1/

In rural SA, mental health stigma continues to isolate many. Limited access and misconceptions leave people without care or support. Structural gaps and cultural beliefs continue to shape how mental health is experienced in rural areas. Read more: rhap.org.za/2023/07/ment...

OPINION | While there still isn't an action plan to mitigate the withdrawal of US aid from the country, when the funds do arrive how will it be managed? Russel Rensburg suggests the answer may lie in the District Health Programme Grant. @rhapnews.bsky.social www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/07/04/r...

RHAP is dedicated to realising the right to health for people in rural areas by advocating for equitable access to healthcare and strengthening accountability systems. #ruralhealthcare Read more in our policy briefs by visiting our resources page: rhap.org.za/resource_typ...

Teenage pregnancy and GBV deeply affect women’s mental health, especially in rural areas where care is limited. Stigma, poverty, and lack of access to contraception leave many young women without support. #MentalHealthAwareness Read more: rhap.org.za/2024/08/acce...

ICYMI | Behind the celebrations lies a harsh truth, rural youth still face daily barriers to healthcare. Our latest policy brief reveals nearly 1 in 4 girls in SA fall pregnant before 20, many without access to youth-friendly services. Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/06/behi...

When women don’t go for pregnancy check-ups, they miss out on HIV testing and prevention. This is especially risky for young mothers. The 2022 SA HIV survey shows that women are among the groups most affected, with a prevalence of 16.4%. Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

Despite having the highest antenatal care coverage nationally (86.1%), the Northern Cape still records a high maternal mortality rate. This suggests that improving access alone isn’t enough quality of care, especially in rural areas. Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

Rural youth need both education and access to healthcare. Mankosi Village resident, Njongo Hlohla highlights that young people who are sexually active should be equipped with knowledge on how to protect themselves, and other people involved. #YouthMonth

In presentations to the Standing Committee on Appropriations, RHAP stated that despite a R20 billion health budget boost, rural communities remain neglected. Most funds go to salaries, leaving clinics broken and rural health posts at risk. Read more: rhap.org.za/2025/06/civi...

In 2022, 40% of public clinics in SA experienced contraceptive stockouts. Of these, 76.3% had no injectable contraceptives, the most preferred option among teens. Stockouts often result in method-switching, side effects, or complete discontinuation. Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

A recent study found that 69.1% of adolescent girls didn’t know where to access SRH services. Among those who did, more than half said their questions weren’t fully answered during consultations. #YouthMonth Read more on our policy brief: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

This #YouthMonth, behind the celebrations lies a harsh truth, rural youth still face daily barriers to healthcare. Our latest policy brief reveals nearly 1 in 4 girls in SA fall pregnant before 20, many without access to youth-friendly services. Read more: rhap.org.za/.../behind-y...

RHAP has presented to the Standing Committee on Appropriations on the Division of Revenue Bill, urging government to prioritise rural health in the budget, not just in policy, a necessary step toward real change for rural areas. Read full submission here: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

Rural vs Urban: Data shows that teen pregnancy rates in #rural parts of South Africa, like Limpopo and Mpumalanga are higher than urban areas like Gauteng and Western Cape. #YouthMonth Read more in our early pregnancy factsheet: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

In rural communities, TB stigma runs deep, and fuelled by fear, visible symptoms, and cultural beliefs. A study in EC found that patients withdraw socially to avoid gossip and judgment, especially men, due to symptoms like weight loss. Read more: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

PHC reduces the health system’s climate impact by preventing illness and reducing hospital visits, waste, and transport. It also brings care closer to communities, advancing UHC. RHAP’s brief urges investing in PHC to support climate action and health access. rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...

Rural areas contribute least to climate change but face the worst impacts. Rising heat cuts maize and wheat yields, key sources of food and income. As harvests fail and prices rise, poverty deepens and health risks grow. Read more in our policy brief: rhap.org.za/wp-content/u...