Community-oriented primary care
8 July 2026
Health financing
8 July 2026Community-oriented primary care
8 July 2026Health financing
8 July 2026
To address the complex frontline realities of South African communities, the district health system must continually monitor, evaluate and learn (MEL) about what is working, what is not, and how needs are changing. Here, we explore innovative approaches to MEL across the health system.
Journal Articles
Monitoring District Health System Performance in South Africa: A proposed dashboard based on key, pragmatic indicators
By: P Barron, H Mahomed, TC Masilela, K Vallabhjee, N Ndlovu, C Goliath, H Schneider
Community-led monitoring and the role of Ritshidze in improving the quality of primary health care in South Africa
By: K Govender, N Rambau, P Barron, B Setshogelo, K Vallabhjee, M Nyathi, H Schneider, S Xaba, N Mopofu, A Yawa
Ritshidze’s community-led monitoring system as a source of information on health system responsiveness in SA
By: P Barron, B Honermann, K Vallabhjee, K Govender, H Schnedier
District Health System performance in South Africa: Are current monitoring systems optimal?
By: Barron P, Mahomed H, Masilela TC, Vallabhjee K, Schneider H.
Webinars
District-level innovations that strengthen human resources for health
This July 2026 webinar explores strategic and systemic innovations designed to strengthen and support the health workforce within the DHS. Speakers discuss the integration of 5,000 community health workers into formal structures in KwaZulu-Natal, virtual clinical mentorship in the Eastern Cape, and recruitment strategies in Limpopo.
Driving improvement: Good practice and innovation in SA’s DHS
This November 2025 webinar highlights creative ways that district teams solve complex problems with limited resources.
Beyond M&E: Leveraging learning partnerships to strengthen the DHS
This November 2024 webinar showcases collaborative partnerships between communities, academics and health managers in KZN and the Western Cape, highlighting the value of “warm data” and tacit knowledge in strengthening the system.
Monitoring DHS performance toward UHC: How can we find a pragmatic way forward?
This August 2024 webinar examines current monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes in the DHS, challenges and gaps, and alternative ways to strengthen M&E and support health system decision-making.
Other
Collaborative learning and co-creation as catalysts for health system strengthening
On 9 September 2026, SALAD hosted a one-hour organised session at the World Congress on Public Health in Cape Town, South Africa. The session, which was attended by more than fifty local, national and international delegates, included an introduction to the DHS and SALAD as a learning network before a four-person panel shared their perspectives collaborative learning for health system strengthening.
Reflections on Quality: transforming a District Health System meeting into a space of learning
When quality meetings had lapsed, one Cape Town substructure re-launched them as quarterly Reflections on Quality (RoQ) sessions built for reflection, peer learning and wider participation. Junior staff now engage with managers as colleagues — and learning is spreading across the district, at no extra cost.