Access to Public Health Services in South Africa’s Rural Eastern Cape Province

Socio-economic issues, such as poverty levels and high levels of unemployment are among the impediments to accessing healthcare services which results in poor health outcomes. In rural areas, insufficient infrastructure and roads make it challenging to reach a health centre. In some instances, primary health care services may not be provided in these regions, which often have fewer physicians, dentists, and specialists. The goal of this article was to examine the effects of government health expenditures, health insurance coverage, and the distribution of health facilities in rural areas of the Eastern Cape. We presented key lessons learned from other similar rural communities and made suggestions that can be adopted to address the highlighted difficulties