Trump's Usaid Freeze Boosts Local Nurse-led Clinics In South African Townships

What sets non-profit organisation, Rhiza Babuyile’s top-notch Mpathy Clinic model apart is its emphasis on financial sustainability and local ownership. The Winterveldt Mpathy Clinic in Tshwane, like its nine predecessors, is run by nurse entrepreneurs — women who have transitioned from healthcare workers to business owners, operating clinics that serve hundreds of patients in underserved communities.

Alef Meulenburg, founder of the Rhiza Foundation, explained why the model is crucial for the future of healthcare in South Africa: “There is a significant lack of access to quality healthcare, and the government, with its current budget, cannot provide quality care for everyone. To achieve universal healthcare, other partners must step in to support the government's efforts. These clinics offer a sustainable solution — low-cost healthcare that is not free and does not rely entirely on donor funding, making it a more reliable model for the future.

“I think it is important now that Trump has frozen foreign aid funding through USAID. These models do not rely on aid constantly, but can run on their own, now in their own canoe, without that support, and are therefore not threatened by the volatility of global politics,” he said.

Empowering nurse entrepreneurs

The organisation’s nursepreneur model addresses the challenges of healthcare access in rural and economically disadvantaged areas but also creates entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Each clinic is run by a nurse who owns and operates the facility, ensuring local management and accountability.

“We've moved from a model with predominantly mobile clinics that were not sustainable, to nursepreneur clinics that are sustainable. The milestone of opening our tenth clinic means that there are then 10 nurses empowered to take charge of their own clinics, providing affordable healthcare to communities that would otherwise lack access,” said Meulenburg.

At Mpathy Clinics, powered by global pharmaceutical company Viatris and the Contribute Foundation, services cost a fraction of the cost of seeing a private doctor, with a consultation ranging between R100 and R300.

Providing services in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the North West, Rhiza Babuyile has always advocated for public-private-partnerships that help community development efforts work more efficiently. This partnership is one of the ways the government is initiating working relationships with community organisations in impoverished areas to increase access to primary healthcare.

The NPO prides itself in creating patient experiences that offer more satisfaction and value for money. Its health programmes are intended to service the specific needs of the communities they exist in, and as such the NPO has built a strong relationship with its communities as well as the state bodies it works with in those areas.

Building healthcare partnerships

“The collaboration between us, the Department of Health, the community and corporates forms an ecosystem that makes access to healthcare less expensive and therefore more accessible, and that can only be done if there are multiple partners in a public-private partnership setting,” said Meulenburg.

But there is more to be done and Rhiza Babuyile is up to the challenge.

“This is a challenge we are actively working to change, and while we are proud of what we have achieved, this is just the beginning. There’s still much more to do,” said Meulenburg.

“The Winterveldt clinic is a symbol of this ongoing effort and it reflects the organisation’s commitment to improving access to healthcare delivery.

“We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but we are always looking forward to how we can improve and expand. Every clinic we open is a step toward a more equitable healthcare system,” said Meulenburg.