Factors that influence the accessibility of antenatal care clinics in the Northern (Limpopo) Province

D.CurOne of the most important factors relating to antenatal care provisions as One of the most important componentscomponents of P rimary Health Carecomponents of Prima ry Health C are (PHC ) is that the provisio forfor all pregnant women for whom these provisions afor all pregnant women for whom these provisions related to the a vailability, afforda bility, accepta bility, effectiveness, efficiency , equityrelated to the availability, utilization of the antenatal care clinics by pregnant women. TheThe White Paper on the Trans foThe White Paper on the Trans formation of The White Paper on services be madeservices be ma de accessib le for all the po pulation grou ps in South A frica. Thisservices thethe health services should be equally accessible in thethe health services should be equally accessible in WhiteWhite Paper states tha t all citizens shou ld have equ al access toWhite Paper states that all citizens should entitled. The right of access to health care means that: " Health professionals are obliged to facilitate access. The following constitute access to health care: " Functional services, of sufficient quality; " Physical, economic and information access; " Respect for ethics and culture, including language; " Scientifically appropriated and high quality care; and " Recognition of the needs of vulnerable groups. IfIf the curriculum for the training ofIf the curriculum for the training of primary health careIf the curriculum itit should reflect community needs more accura tely and the teaching sho uldit should reflect community moremore emphasis on community and oumore emphasis on community and outcome-bmore emphasis undertundertaundertakenundertaken to explore and describe the factors that influence the accessibility of carecare services in the then Central Region of the then Northern Prcare services in the then Central strategies to address such factors. TheThe aim of this study was to expThe aim of this study was to explore and desThe aim of this accessibilityaccessibility of antenatalaccessibility of antenatal care clinics in the rural areas. The researcher descrip tivedescriptive and contextualdescriptive and contextual design to approachdescriptive and contextual obtained th rough interview s withobtained through interviews with postpartum women, clinic and hospitalobtained withwith nurses fromwith nurses from thewith nurses from the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Office in ofof Heaof Healof Health and Welfare. The second phase entailed the development of strategies addressingaddressing thoaddressing those factors addressing those factors that influence the accessibility data obtained in phase one of this study as well as from the literature. TheThe results of this research show that several personal anThe results of this research show that several byby both health care us ers and health care providersby both health c are users and h ealth care provid ers haveby thethe antenatal care clinics. The principal factors are: adolescent pregnancy,the antenatal care clinics. humanhuman and materialhuman and material resources, thehuman and material resources, the considerable thethe long waiting hours, paucity of community ithe long waiting hours, paucity of community involvemethe relatingrelating to the organization of health care activities at the clinic, andrelating to the organization of and safety at the clinics. RecommRecommendationsRecommendations evolving from this study are that the Health Department should moremore nurse s and mater ial resources, the clinicmore nurses and material resources, the clinic should be organised nnursesnurses shounurses should be given in-service education in primary health care (PHC), including antenatalantenatal care services, on a regular basis in order to equip themantenatal care services, on a clinics.clinics. Security of the clinic en vironment should be imp roved to ensu re the safety o f both personnel and patients on a twenty-four hourpersonnel and patients on a twenty-four hour basis. Antenatal more accessible to all the communities