Rural Health Advocacy Project SA

07/10/2026

RHAP advocates for equitable and effective health policies that advance healthcare access for rural communities. Stay informed with the latest news, updates, and insights on rural health issues. Connect with us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube.

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09/09/2026

At the closing ceremony of the World Congress on Public Health, Lance Louskieter, Programme Director at TEKANO, leaves delegates with a powerful challenge. “We do not have a shortage of knowledge. We have a crisis of what we are prepared to do with what we already know,” he said.

He called for a public health system that recognises communities, community health workers, indigenous healers and others as producers of knowledge, while questioning whose knowledge is valued and who gets to shape health systems.

08/09/2026

At the World Leadership Dialogue on 'The Convergence Imperative: From Innovation to Implementation Equity in Ending TB and HIV,' Dr Yogan Pillay, Director for HIV and TB Delivery at the Gates Foundation, highlighted a persistent challenge across Africa: rural communities face both limited access to healthcare and poor-quality services when they do reach them.

Prof. Linda-Gail Bekker challenged delegates to consider whether our primary healthcare systems are truly designed for the future. As digital health, AI and other innovations transform healthcare, the priority must be ensuring these tools reach rural communities and close, not deepen the equity gap.

06/09/2026

Western Cape Provincial Minister of Health & Wellness, Mireille Wenger emphasised that public health must reach people where they live including rural and underserved communities.

She called for stronger local leadership, partnerships and health services that respond to the realities of different communities, rather than simply copying solutions from one setting to another.

06/09/2026

At the opening ceremony of , Director of the WHO African region, Dr Mohamed Janabi called for a future where geography, income and social circumstances no longer determine who receives healthcare and who is left behind.

“Pregnancy has never been a disease. It is a physiological change. No woman should lose her life while giving birth.”

He reminded delegates that the barriers to health are often not biological, but the barriers we create and fail to remove.

06/09/2026

HAPPENING TODAY | WHO PAYS FOR HEALTH?

Join RHAP at for an interactive workshop exploring Domestic Resource Mobilisation through Health Taxes and what it means for the future of Primary Health Care.

Through a practical health tax simulation, participants will explore country scenarios, weigh financing options and make decisions on how health taxes can help generate sustainable resources for stronger health systems.

Meeting Rooms 1.63 + 1.64
13:00–14:00
Facilitated by Hanifa Mahlangu

26/08/2026

The Rural Health and Family Physicians Joint Congress 2026 brought together health professionals to discuss the realities of delivering healthcare in rural communities, and what needs to change to strengthen care.

From workforce challenges and access to healthcare to the importance of collaboration, the discussions highlighted the need for practical, connected approaches to rural health.

Read more:

24/08/2026

For rural women, accessing healthcare can mean travelling long distances, facing limited services and navigating systems that don’t always account for the realities of rural communities.

These challenges can have a real impact on when, where and whether women are able to get the care they need.

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20/08/2026

Rural health advocacy cannot happen in isolation. At the Rural Health & Family Physicians Joint Congress 2026, RHAP's Alliance in Action panel brought together partners from across the sector to reflect on the importance of collaboration in advancing rural health.

The discussion highlighted the value of building stronger relationships, aligning efforts and creating a collective voice for rural communities.

Read more from the Alliance in Action panel discussion at the Congress:

Rural health challenges are complex and cannot be solved by one organisation working alone. This was the focus of RHAP’s panel discussion, An Alliance in […]

20/08/2026

In a health setting, leadership is not simply about holding a senior position. Instead, leadership in a health system context is a presence — something demonstrated through relationships, teamwork, decision-making and how people respond to pressure.