IMPROVING MOBILE SERVICE DELIVERY WITHIN ILEMBE HEALTH DISTRICT: A BATHO PELE PERSPECTIVE

Everything associated with wealth, happiness and long life depends on good health. Adept policy-makers must understand linkages between Government priorities, interfacing with the public. Health policy initiatives ought to be implemented effectively, efficiently and economically within local communities’ proximity demonstrating results. Contextually, mobile health services are extensions of Primary Health Care (PHC) systems. The Department of Health (DoH) and iLembe Health District must ensure Batho Pele (People First) Principles maintain service standards. Mobile health services are not rendered in accordance with the policy framework and implementation strategy aimed at transforming public services, as stipulated in the White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery (Batho Pele White Paper, 1997). The purpose of this study therefore, was to evaluate the influence of mobile health services operationalising these principles to the district. The methodological approach included questionnaires administered to management, health care workers and clients within Maphumulo sub-district in iLembe. The quantitative approach utilising the post positivist worldview was applied through survey research and random sampling with a complement of 286 respondents. Data was interpreted for statistical significance of relationships amongst key variables through Factor Analysis and Cronbach’s Alpha for score reliability. Data analysis illustrated that most health care workers (HCW) are considerate, offer required information to clients regardless of resource and infrastructure limitations. Empirically, managers, HCW and clients agreed mobile health services are delivered in relation to some of Batho Pele Principles. However, this does not imply that challenges do not exist. The study revealed that efficient, economic and effective delivery of health services warrants multi-disciplinary and coordinated approaches involving clients’ participation and feedback, including health service management and health care workers. Emphasis was on instilling a spirit of diakonia and culture of ensuring high quality service delivery mandates of Health and Government Departments. The authors conclude that necessary health care policies must be implemented properly. The need is to systematically institutionalise functional monitoring and evaluation systems to deliver quality services to citizens in an equitable manner through all possible means.

Keywords:

Batho Pele, Health service delivery Public service, Primary health care,

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