SOUTH AFRICA— Global pharmaceutical maker Pfizer, has pledged US$576,000 to Unjani Clinics, a non-profit network of nurse-owned and operated healthcare clinics in South Africa.
This collaboration aims to bolster the expansion plans of Unjani Clinics, which already operates an extensive network of 150 clinics, including 2 mobile clinics and 7 Unjani mobile pods, spread across rural and underserved communities. Their ambitious goal is to establish over 600 clinics by 2030.
Unjani Clinics follows a unique owner-operator model that empowers black female professional nurses to establish and manage their own primary healthcare clinics.
This approach not only creates permanent jobs but also builds sustainable businesses that cater to the missing middle and underserved markets.
The clinics are committed to providing affordable, quality primary healthcare services and ensuring the availability of quality medicines.
What sets Unjani Clinics apart is its innovative approach of shifting primary healthcare tasks to professional nurses, leveraging a well-developed private sector distribution network.
This strategy allows more people to access essential healthcare services.
Pfizer’s recent funding injection will enable the establishment of 9 additional clinics in underserved communities across eight provinces in South Africa, including Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, the Western Cape, the Northern Cape, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and the Northwest province.
During the presentation of the funding, Kevin Francis, Pfizer’s Cluster Lead for Sub-Saharan Africa and Country Manager for South Africa, emphasized the empowerment of black female nurses and the impact of expanding Unjani Clinics.
He acknowledged the overburdened and underfunded public health sector in South Africa and praised the pivotal role nurses play in addressing healthcare needs in rural and underprivileged communities.
Francis highlighted the profound knowledge of health issues, social challenges, and resource limitations that nurses possess, making them well-positioned to build trust with patients.
Lynda Toussaint, CEO of Unjani Clinics, expressed her gratitude for Pfizer’s significant contributions over the past seven years, which have played a crucial role in expanding the network.
The success of Unjani Clinics and its dedication to empowering black female nurses in South Africa have garnered recognition.
In 2022, the initiative received two Gender Mainstreaming Awards, one acknowledging its support for the future empowerment of women-owned or managed businesses and the other recognizing it as a sustainable poverty alleviation initiative for women and poor communities.
Nurses serve as the first line of healthcare for many individuals, bridging the gap in access to proper medical treatment.
While significant improvements are still needed in South Africa’s healthcare system to address the demand for quality medical care, Unjani Clinics have made a vital contribution to reducing the severity of the problem.
A 2022 study by BMC Health Services Research revealed that 15% of poor rural households in South Africa live more than an hour away from the nearest clinic, while 20% live more than an hour away from the closest hospital.
Challenges such as expensive and unreliable transportation and poor road conditions make accessing healthcare services prohibitive in rural communities.
To tackle these issues, interventions aimed at improving access to healthcare in rural and underserved areas should have a national goal and be based on community-based solutions.
Furthermore, fostering public-private partnerships will expedite the delivery of universal healthcare coverage to all, aligning with the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health (GSHRH): Workforce 2030.
The strategy emphasizes the need for a sufficient, well-trained, and equitably distributed healthcare workforce that is competent, responsive, motivated, and productive.
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