The first decade
2001
Our founder, Professor Ian Sanne, registered Right to Care in South Africa as a Section 21 (non-profit) organization, based in Johannesburg. His goal was to:
- secure antiretroviral treatment (ART) and related medicines at low cost, and
- enable treatment programmes for HIV and AIDS patients in public health facilities.
2002
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) came on board as Right to Care’s first major funder.
Right to Care quickly matured from a start-up, pioneer-led organization to a well-established donor-funded non-governmental organization (NGO).
2005
More than 5-million South Africans were HIV-positive. South Africa had the highest HIV rates in the world.
2006
Right to Care was supporting over 10,000 patients on ART.
2009
Right to Care had provided HIV counselling and testing to more than 200,000 South Africans. The number of RTC-supported public patients in HIV clinical care broke the 100,000 mark.
2010
The staff complement had grown to 500. Right to Care was awarded a grant from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund), as the principal award recipient.
The transition was made from direct service delivery to the provision of technical assistance.
2010
Right to Care began a USAID-led transition from direct service delivery to technical assistance, primarily providing technical assistance to the National Department of Health in South Africa.
Right to Care’s innovative pharmacy supply chain management programme was launched (Right ePharmacy).
The second decade
2011
A third National Strategic Plan on HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and Tuberculosis (TB) was released. The plan aimed to:
- halve new HIV and TB infections,
- ensure that 80% of people eligible for HIV treatment were put onto Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART),
- ensure that the rights of people living with HIV are protected, and
- halve stigma related to HIV and TB.
Right to Care’s work and programmes in South Africa aligned to this strategy.
RTC began supporting the Department of Correctional Services to prevent and treat HIV and TB amongst inmates in prisons.
2012
RTC were selected as the primary partner for USAID’s Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision programme. Circumcision can reduce HIV transmission by up to 60%.
Right to Care and USAID also endorsed a bilateral cooperative agreement, known as PERFORM (Performance for Health through Focused Outputs, Results and Management).
2014
Right to Care supported the roll out of Bedaquiline – the first new tuberculosis (TB) drug in 40 years.
2015
RTC became a principal recipient of a Global Fund grant to fight HIV and associated conditions amongst key populations. These populations include:
- men who have sex with men,
- transgender people, and
- people who inject drugs.
2016
Right to Care expanded beyond South Africa’s borders under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and USAID. Right to Care started working with local partners in 17 countries through the EQUIP consortium.
2017
RTC performed their one-millionth medical male circumcision.
In partnership with the Foundation for Professional Development, RTC formed an entity called QODE™ to enhance the comprehensive use of multiple data systems developed in South Africa to enhance the programme productivity..
2018
Right ePharmacy launched its first ‘ATM pharmacy’ in Johannesburg’s Alexandra township.
Right Clinic was set up as a Right to Care company to re-engineer primary healthcare in South Africa and drive down the costs of private healthcare. Its first primary healthcare clinic was launched in Johannesburg’s densely populated Cosmo City.
PEPFAR-USAID awarded a grant to Right to Care and other funding recipients to accelerate the HIV response in SA.
2019
Right to Care trained 1,000+ healthcare workers on the breakthrough antiretroviral drug, Dolutegravir.
RTC’s Strategic Information office, which uses near real-time data, analytics, technology, artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve programme performance, introduced new ‘situation rooms’ to routinely monitor performance so rapid interventions can take place when required.
2020
Right to Care supports the Department of Health with its Coronavirus response.
