South Africa: Disabled People Say Clinics Give Them Too Few Nappies

What the report says

Disability activists in South Africa’s Western Cape are pressing the provincial health department and the City of Cape Town to set out clearer rules for providing free adult nappies at clinics. The concern, reported by GroundUp and distributed by AllAfrica, is that people with disabilities who rely on incontinence products are often receiving too few to last a month.

The Western Cape health department said its current approach allows up to three incontinence products per person per day for as long as six months. City officials said clinic staff make decisions based on clinical assessment, and that the city is working with the province to align practice and produce written guidance. The city also said clients who need more can return for reassessment, and delivery may be arranged where travel is difficult.

GroundUp spoke to wheelchair users in Cape Town who said the monthly allocations from local clinics fall short of what they need. One woman in Eerste River said she supplements the nappies she receives with money from her disability grant, while another in Mfuleni said her clinic supply is still insufficient. Advocacy group Disability Revolution said it has been asking since 2023 for details of policy on incontinence products, and argued that people in the same city should not receive different amounts depending on which clinic they use.

The issue matters because activists say inadequate access affects dignity, privacy, health and the ability to attend appointments and community activities. The report also noted that clinic allocations appear to be far below the retail cost of buying enough products privately, adding pressure on disabled people and their households.