Abstract
This study explores the healthcare experiences of Zimbabwean migrants accessing
services at the local public clinic in Cosmo City, South Africa, against the backdrop of
ongoing debates about medical xenophobia and migrant health access. While existing
literature has documented instances of medical xenophobia in South African healthcare
settings, there remains a need for nuanced, locality-specific understanding of migrant
health experiences. Using Levesque's Conceptual Framework on healthcare access, this
qualitative study examines how Zimbabwean migrants navigate healthcare services and
investigates their experiences as healthcare users rather than merely as victims of medical
exclusion.
The research employed semi-structured interviews with twelve participants, comprising
eight Zimbabwean migrants and four South African patients, selected through snowball and
purposive sampling methods. Using thematic data analysis, the study explored various
dimensions of healthcare access, including approachability, acceptability, availability,
affordability, and appropriateness of services, while accounting for migrants' corresponding
abilities to perceive, seek, reach, pay for, and engage with healthcare services.
The findings reveal complex and nuanced healthcare experiences among Zimbabwean
migrants in Cosmo City, shaped by factors such as language barriers, documentation
requirements, and socio-economic conditions. This study contributes to the growing body of
literature calling for locally informed and implemented responses to migrant health
challenges in South Africa. It suggests that understanding local realities is crucial for
developing practical, innovative responses within local health systems to better serve
migrant populations.