Unjani Nurses lead the way: How eHealth can improve access to healthcare in rural South Africa

Unjani Clinics is a social franchising initiative that has created a primary healthcare container clinic network in underserved areas of the country in pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 3, Good Health & Well-being. This is what Unjani nurses bring to their communities in low-income townships and informal settlements: equitable univer- sal health cover that saves patients from exorbitant health expenditures. The nurses form part of the Unjani Clinic network, which was established in 2013 with the mission to provide accessible, affordable and quality preventive healthcare – partly enhanced by re- mote access to an oversight doctor. The network links a growing number of professional “nurse-preneurs” – 58 at present. The nurses own and operate their own container clinics and offer exceptional customer service in the communities they originate from and where they are trusted. The initiative has to date created permanent employment for over 200 people and provided in excess of 807,000 consultations.