RHAP

Rural Health Alliance

The concept of the Rural Health Alliance (RHA) was born out of the need to create a united advocacy voice for rural health. At the 2023 Rural Health Conference in the Eastern Cape, the RHA was informally initiated with organisations such as the Rural Doctors Association of South Africa (RuDASA), Rural Nursing South Africa (RuNurSA), Rural Rehab South Africa (RuReSA), the Professional Association of Clinical Associates in South Africa (PACASA) and the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP) constituting the alliance members. 

The vision for a united rural health advocacy voice grew in 2024 with the recognition that a broader range of organisations should be invited to join the alliance. In response to this the Rural Health Alliance Symposium was held on 17 April 2024 to both formalise the RHA and to respond to recent government decisions that affect staffing of rural health facilities ahead of the 2024 elections. At this symposium institutions such as university rural health centres, civil society organisations and health professional representative bodies were invited to join the alliance and add their voice to rural health advocacy. It is hoped that through this broader representation, the voices of not only rural healthcare workers, but also of rural communities and patients, will be amplified.

If your organisation is passionate about rural health in South Africa and you would like to make your advocacy felt, then join this alliance of committed rural colleagues and strengthen the voice of rural healthcare.