A recent study by researchers at the University of Cape Town has found that even communities located close to major hospitals in South Africa often face significant barriers to accessing timely, high-quality surgical care, underscoring deep-rooted systemic inequalities in health services; the research showed that peri-urban populations - those living on the outskirts of urban centres - experience delays in surgical referrals, longer waiting times for essential procedures and limited availability of specialised surgical teams and equipment, contributing to poorer health outcomes and preventable complications, and highlighting the need for integrated policy solutions that strengthen workforce distribution, infrastructure and equitable service delivery across regions.
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