ISDS Site: uMkhanyakude District Municipality

The uMkhanyakude District Municipality is situated in the North-eastern part of the Kwazulu-Natal province. It forms the national borders with Mozambique to the North-East, and Swaziland to the North. It has a scattered rural population of 542 953 people. It is known for having the highest malaria incidence in South Africa which is aggravated by the poorly controlled malaria in neighbouring Mozambique. There are large numbers of orphans and households run by young children due to the high incidence of HIV/AIDS in this area.

Kwazulu-Natal has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence in SA . A high incidence of TB (887 per 100 000 people) is currently being witnessed in the district, partly due to HIV/AIDS. The unemployment rate is 54% and more than half of households lack clean water and sanitation. Not surprisingly, uMkhanyakude is one of the areas which experience cholera outbreaks from time to time. The district is characterised by exceptionally committed healthcare service providers, although the shortage of doctors remains a concern. Health service provision is becoming harder as more and more nurses are leaving for jobs overseas, thus draining the the already cripled human resources. Service provision in this district is facing challenges of previous backlogs, poverty, poor infrastructure, insufficient human resources and a high disease burden.

ISDS provides the following support:

• establishing a district management team and a District Health Expenditure review,
• supporting TB management
• improving quality of care in the treatment of STIs
• providing support with functional integration and assisting with development of a district health plan.
  

Keywords	This Item is associated with the Following Keywords: ISDS.
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