Access to health care in Nourivier, Namaqualand

We surveyed health in Nourivier, Namaqualand, to see whether poverty prevented people from obtaining the care they needed. We interviewed families at 65 of the 74 households, and obtained satisfactory health information from 37. Health in Nourivier is generally good; 93% of the children aged 0-5 years are fully immunized. However, 20 children in this age group (35%) were below the third percentile (weight for age, National Center for Health Statistics' standards), while the clinical condition of 4 (7%) gave cause for concern. The water supply and sanitation were satisfactory. Twenty-one individuals reported having been ill in the preceding 2 months. People treat themselves before resorting to the herbalist, the clinic nurse or the general practitioner (GP). Money for transport to the GP in Garies and antenatal care and hospital delivery has to be scraped up by the population, although the police in Kamieskroon will take people to hospital in an emergency. The mean monthly cash income in 35 households was R194 (range R0-1-035). People there would like a nurse in the village or a weekly visit by a doctor. Their tradition of self-care is a sound basis for a village-based primary health care service.