Rural Health Advocacy Project SA

17/06/2026

Young people remain at the centre of the HIV response, yet many still face barriers to accessing prevention options that work for their lives and circumstances.

As conversations around Lenacapavir grow, we asked young people whether they had heard about this HIV prevention injection and whether they believe it could play a role in reducing new HIV infections among youth.

Their responses reflect a desire for prevention choices that are effective, convenient, and designed with young people in mind.
National Department of Health (South Africa) Wits RHI TB HIV Care Right 2 Care loveLife

16/06/2026

Young people cannot make informed health decisions without access to accurate, timely, and relevant information. This , RHAP asked its young people whether they believe they have enough access to the information they need to make good health decisions.

Their voices remind us that access to information is not a privilege; it is a necessity. By listening to young people and responding to their needs, we can create a future where every young person is empowered to take charge of their health and wellbeing.

16/06/2026

Young people remain at the centre of the HIV response, yet many still face barriers to accessing prevention options that work for their lives and circumstances.

As conversations around Lenacapavir grow, we asked young people whether they had heard about this HIV prevention injection and whether they believe it could play a role in reducing new HIV infections among youth.

Their responses reflect a desire for prevention choices that are effective, convenient, and designed with young people in mind.
Department of Health (South Africa)loveLife

09/06/2026

In rural South Africa, adolescent girls continue to face impossible barriers to sexual and reproductive healthcare, from contraceptive stockouts and inaccessible antenatal care to stigma, judgment, and limited HIV prevention support.

Too many young girls delay seeking care because health systems were never designed with their realities in mind. Meanwhile, weak rural data systems continue to render their experiences invisible in policy and budgeting decisions.

Without targeted investment in youth-friendly primary healthcare, adolescent-centred services, health education, and trusted community outreach, the cycle of poor reproductive health outcomes will continue. Rural adolescent girls cannot remain an afterthought in South Africa’s healthcare system.


Read more on our policy brief:

03/06/2026

For some patients in the communities surrounding Zithulele Hospital, a hospital visit can mean travelling more than 50 kilometres, taking multiple taxis and spending up to R200 on transport. For those who are too ill to travel normally, getting to care can cost an entire social grant.

These are the realities that shape health outcomes long before a patient reaches a consultation room. In our latest profile, Dr George Mahembe reflects on the barriers rural communities face and the work being done to navigate them.

Read more:

Mahembe is a family physician and senior lecturer with Walter Sisulu University, based at Zithulele Hospital. He is also the hospital’s only family physician. His days move between clinical work, supervision, governance responsibilities and community projects that stretch beyond the walls of the h...

29/05/2026

According to the latest District Health Barometer 2024/25, South Africa’s under-5 severe acute malnutrition fatality rate has declined from 8.9% in 2015/16 to 6.9% in 2024/25, but it still remains above the national target of less than 5%.

The data also reveals stark provincial and district inequalities.

Eastern Cape (11.0%), Limpopo (10.7%) and Free State (8.3%) recorded the highest fatality rates, while only North West and Western Cape met the national target.

Nearly half of South Africa’s districts continue to exceed the national average, with some districts reporting fatality rates as high as 19%.

Read more:https://hst-assets-s3.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/publications/District-Health-Barometer-2024_2025.pdf



National Department of Health (South Africa)

22/05/2026

Powerful grassroots-level discussions at the 2nd Annual Menstrual Health Equity Summit highlighted how menstrual health is deeply shaped by safety, privacy, water access, school infrastructure, education and stigma.

A high school learner from Gugulethu, Cape Town, shared her experience of missing school, using paper when menstrual products are unavailable and navigating unsafe sanitation facilities.

Menstrual health equity requires us to look beyond products alone and confront the broader conditions that impact dignity, safety and access to education.

22/05/2026

“Ending period poverty requires more than individual action.”

Speaking at the 2nd Annual Menstrual Health Equity Summit, I_Menstruate Movement Director Tracey Malawana highlighted the importance of collective advocacy, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to menstrual health equity.

RHAP is proud to be part of the conversation advancing dignity, equitable access to healthcare and menstrual health rights for all.

18/05/2026

In our nursing report, RHAP called for community service nurses to be strategically placed where they are needed most, particularly in underserved and rural communities facing severe staff shortages.

With many healthcare facilities struggling to cope with limited human resources, the report highlights the importance of using community service placements to strengthen frontline healthcare services, improve patient care, and reduce the burden on already overstretched healthcare workers.

The report further explores the ongoing challenges faced by nurses in rural areas, including inadequate staffing, poor working conditions, limited resources, burnout, and barriers to professional support and development.

Read the full report here: https://bit.ly/44RLsYZ

12/05/2026

This , we honour the nurses who dedicate their lives to caring for others, often under challenging conditions and with limited resources. Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, bringing hope, healing, and compassion to communities every single day, especially in rural areas where access to quality healthcare remains deeply unequal.

Beyond providing medical care, nurses become trusted pillars within their communities, offering comfort, guidance, advocacy, and support to patients and families during some of their most vulnerable moments.

Midwife Lungi Gamede shares her inspiring journey in nursing, reflecting on the passion that led her into healthcare and the realities of serving communities with limited resources. Her story shines a light on the vital yet often unseen role nurses play in strengthening South Africa’s healthcare system and changing lives every day.

Read more:

By: Palesa Chidi Nurses are the unsung heroes of rural communities, where access to healthcare can be limited and the challenges they face are unique. […]