Assessing accessibility of eye health through human resources in South Africa

Background: Globally, equitable access to vision and eye health services has been a public health challenge for a few decades. Aim: This study aimed to map human resources for eye health (HReH) availability and distribution, explore current practices and highlight factors that impact eye health service outcomes and coverage within the public sector of the Free State province of South Africa. Setting: The study was conducted in the Free State province of South Africa in 2022. Methods: Using an exploratory, descriptive qualitative design, data were gathered between May 2021 and May 2022 through in-depth individual interviews. Twenty-seven eye health workers were selected as participants using purposive sampling. Data were thematically analysed with NVivo version 12. Thematic analysis was centred on the capacity-building framework, namely, organisational development, workforce development, resource allocation, partnerships, leadership and building capacity dimensions. Results: Twenty-seven of the 33 human resources for Eye Health participated in the study. Sub-themes extracted highlighted operational challenges and staff shortages that create high workloads and hinder workforce development. Limited equipment access, leadership problems and sustainability issues are those that inhibited capacity building within the Free State eye health system. Conclusion: This study underscores the critical role of human resources in the accessibility of eye health services in the Free State province. Contribution: The significance of this study lies in its contribution to the broader discussion on human resources for eye health (HReH) to achieve universal eye health through sustainable human resource strategies.