Critical staffing shortages, longest waiting times, and an ingrained culture of punishment and denial of services are key issues outlined in the 5th edition of the Ritshidze State of Health report for Free State. The report uses data from 5,543 surveys carried out with public healthcare users, and monitoring of 57 facilities in three districts in the Free State.

One way to reduce the burden on already overstretched healthcare workers is ensuring that people who come to collect ARVs at facility pick-up points do just that. National ART guidelines […]

Zero progress on extending ARV supply to 6 months, fewer people having access to community treatment pick-up points, facility pick-up points not running as quick or “one-stop”, and dire treatment of members of key populations are key issues outlined in the 3rd edition of the Ritshidze State of Health report for Limpopo. The report uses data from 6,355 surveys carried out with public healthcare users, and monitoring of 60 facilities in three districts in Limpopo.

Healthcare workers not providing explanations of people’s test results is one among a number of challenges outlined in a new Ritshidze State of Health data set for Ehlanzeni (Mpumalanga)

Critical staff shortages, long waits, and unfriendly services are key issues outlined in the 5th edition of the Ritshidze State of Health report for Gauteng. The report uses data from 7,482 surveys carried out with public healthcare users, and monitoring of 81 facilities in four districts in Gauteng.

When clinic queues stretch beyond two to three hours and files take an hour or more to find, people give up and leave. Yet while external pick-up points can reduce congestion and make it easier to collect ARVs, 11% fewer people reported using them since the PEPFAR disruptions.

After carrying out 4,215 surveys with public health users & monitoring 40 facilities, the latest Ritshidze State of Health report for the Eastern Cape reveals long waiting times, critical staff shortages, less people using external pick-up points, & people denied services.

The 5th edition of the Ritshidze KwaZulu-Natal report shows that after the PEPFAR disruptions only 53% of people surveyed in KwaZulu-Natal took home a 3 month supply or longer – a worrying 31% drop from before the PEPFAR disruptions.

Changes in ARV refill length are among the issues outlined in the 5th edition of the Ritshidze State of Health report for KwaZulu-Natal. Between April and June 2025, 6,629 surveys were carried out with public healthcare users, and assessed 60 facilities in 3 districts in KwaZulu-Natal. The data reveal the challenges arising following the PEPFAR disruptions.

Between April and June 2025, a scaled down team began monitoring. During the three months we carried out 32,530 surveys with public healthcare users, and spoke to facility staff to assess 326 facilities in 16 districts, across 6 provinces. The data reveal the impact of the PEPFAR disruptions following the U.S funding cuts earlier in the year.