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Recommendations to improve the National Development Plan for Health
Pieter de Jager, Karen Hofman, Taskeen Khan, Heinrich Volmink, Ruxana Jina
Abstract
In November 2011, a draft National Development Plan (NDP) was released that addresses two of South Africa’s major challenges: poverty and inequity. Health and economic development are interdependent, presenting an important opportunity through the NDP to integrate health within goals of broader socio-economic development. Reviewing the NDP identified gaps based on evidence and the epidemiological risk profile of South Africa. Recommendations to improve the NDP and to deal with poverty and inequity should focus on prevention and addressing the social determinants of health, including: (i) a multisectoral approach to establish a comprehensive early childhood development programme; (ii) fiscal and legislative policies to bolster efforts to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases; (iii) promoting and maintaining a healthy workforce; (iv) and promoting a culture of evidence-based priority setting. Achieving the goal of ‘a long and healthy life for all South Africans’ will require healthy public policies, well functioning institutional and physical infrastructure, social solidarity, and an active and conscientious civil society.
Authors' affiliations
Pieter de Jager, Department of Community Medicine of the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Karen Hofman, MRC/WITS Rural Public Health and Health Transitions Research Unit of the School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Taskeen Khan, Department of Community Medicine of the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Heinrich Volmink, Department of Community Medicine of the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Ruxana Jina, Department of Community Medicine of the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Keywords
National Development Plan; Public Health Policy; Social Determinants of Health; Disease Prevention; Health inequity
Article History
Date submitted: 2012-07-26
Date published: 2012-09-07
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