{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,25]],"date-time":"2026-08-25T14:47:54Z","timestamp":1787669274219,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]],"date-time":"2025-10-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1761609600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Public Health Challenges"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,12]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Access to healthcare facilities in rural areas remains a major challenge, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID\u201019) pandemic. This study investigated the spatial distribution and accessibility of COVID\u201019 point\u2010of\u2010care (POC) diagnostic services in Mopani District, Limpopo province, South Africa, using a geographic information system (GIS)\u2010based approach. The aim was to identify areas where healthcare access requires improvement.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A descriptive cross\u2010sectional study design was used, analysing secondary data through dasymetric mapping to disaggregate and re\u2010aggregate population data into analytical units. Accessibility was measured by distances from residences to the nearest primary healthcare (PHC) clinics (&lt;5\u00a0km) and from clinics to the nearest district hospitals (&lt;30\u00a0km). Demographic and socio\u2010economic data from Statistics South Africa were included for context.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Mopani District had an estimated population of 1,202,916, with 942,801 (78.4%) residing within 5\u00a0km of a PHC clinic. The district had 105 clinics, each serving about 11,456 people, and 72 (68.6%) of these clinics were within 30\u00a0km of a district hospital. The district contained both densely and sparsely populated areas, with high unemployment and low\u2010income levels, particularly in rural regions. Limited public transport further constrained access. Ba\u2010Phalaborwa, Maruleng, Greater Tzaneen and Greater Letaba have relatively good access, whereas Greater Giyani faces significant challenges.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Although a majority of the population lived within 5\u00a0km of a clinic, notable gaps in accessibility remain. Improving transport infrastructure, using telemedicine and mobile health units, and implementing socio\u2010economic support strategies, such as subsidized transport, can enhance access. Addressing geographic and structural inequalities in healthcare distribution is critical to promoting equity and improving health outcomes in rural districts like Mopani.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/puh2.70161","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]],"date-time":"2025-10-28T15:04:38Z","timestamp":1761663878000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Spatial Distribution of COVID\u201019 Diagnostic Services in Mopani District, Limpopo Province, South Africa"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"4","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0002-4697","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kuhlula","family":"Maluleke","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health Systems and Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria  Pretoria South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alfred","family":"Musekiwa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health Systems and Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria  Pretoria South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Mckelly","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Inclusive Smart Settlements and Regions (ISSR) Smart Places CSIR Stellenbosch Central  Stellenbosch South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ethel","family":"Baloyi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Legisature Department Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality  Germiston South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tivani","family":"Mashamba\u2010Thompson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Health Systems and Public Health Faculty of Health Sciences University of Pretoria  Pretoria South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_13_2_1","unstructured":"\u201cHuman Rights \u201dWorld Health Organization accessed May 5 2023 https:\/\/www.who.int\/news\u2010room\/fact\u2010sheets\/detail\/human\u2010rights\u2010and\u2010health."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_3_1","unstructured":"United Nations \u201cTHE 17 GOALS \u201dSustainable Development: United Nations published2021 https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/goals."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0287477"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_5_1","unstructured":"\u201cCOVID\u201019 Antigen Testing Guidelines 2020 \u201dNational Department of Health accessed July 26 2022 https:\/\/www.nicd.ac.za\/wp\u2010content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/COVID\u201019\u2010Antigen\u2010Testing\u2010Guidelines.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_6_1","unstructured":"\u201cThe Use of Antigen Testing for Diagnosis of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 in South Africa South Africa NICD \u201dNational Institute for Communicable Diseases published2020 https:\/\/www.nicd.ac.za\/wp\u2010content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/COVID\u201019\u2010Antigen\u2010Testing\u2010Guidelines.pdf."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_7_1","unstructured":"\u201cDiagnosis for All 2021 \u201dFoundation for Innovative New Diagnostics accessed July 26 2022 https:\/\/www.finddx.org\/."},{"key":"e_1_2_13_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-014-0541-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1476-072X-11-15"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3156.2008.02194.x"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0003605"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-020-1059-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0181797"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0244921"},{"key":"e_1_2_13_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/infdis\/jiv387"},{"issue":"39","key":"e_1_2_13_16_1","article-title":"Spatial Methods for Infectious Disease Outbreak Investigations: Systematic Literature Review","volume":"20","author":"Smith C. 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