Community health worker perspectives on a new primary health care initiative in the Eastern Cape of South Africa

Background: In 2018, the South African National Department of Health (NDoH) published a 5-year policy framework and strategy for Ward-Based Primary Healthcare Outreach teams to improve team management and leadership and support service delivery. In the same year, the World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines on health policy and system support to optimise Community Health Worker (CHW) programmes.Aim: This article aims to assess the National Certificate (Vocational), or NC(V), Primary Health qualification in terms of the education and training guidelines and recommendations of the 2018 NDoH and WHO policy documents.Setting: The qualification was initiated in 2013 at 12 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges across South Africa. The evaluation covered the period 2013–2017.Methods: Pragmatic qualitative enquiry was used to examine the context, design, implementation and outcomes of the qualification. Data collection involved document reviews, key informant in-depth interviews and focused group discussions, and individual reflections with respondents from one part-time and two full-time offerings at two colleges. Analyses of emergent themes were interpreted using appropriate models and theoretical frameworks.Results: The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) created and implemented a standardised, curriculated national programme for CHW education that structured theoretical and practical learning over time to ensure assimilation of content and its application in practice.Conclusion: NC(V) Primary Health, as a single, national, quality-assured qualification for CHWs, meets WHO 2018 guidelines and recommendations, NDoH training needs and CHWs learning expectations, especially when offered part-time. Despite the termination of the programme, it remains a relevant option for CHWs in South Africa and elsewhere.

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A2111 Determining the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders in primary health care patients with hypertension and/or diabetes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1097/01.hjh.0000549114.67532.b2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 ◽

pp. e273

Author(s):

Zimbini Ogle ◽

Liezl Koen ◽

Dana HJ Niehaus

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Anxiety Disorders ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Primary Health ◽

Prevalence Of Depression

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Prevalence and factors associated with abdominal obesity among primary health care professional nurses in Eastern Cape, South Africa

South African Family Practice ◽

10.4102/safp.v60i5.4920 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 60 (5) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Sizeka Monakali ◽

Daniel Ter Goon ◽

Eunice Seekoe ◽

Eyitayo Omolara Owolabi

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Abdominal Obesity ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Height Ratio ◽

Primary Health ◽

Primary Health Care Professional ◽

Waist To Height Ratio ◽

Professional Nurses

Background: Nurses are key stakeholders in health promotion and obesity management, yet a high-risk group for obesity development. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of abdominal obesity among primary health care professional nurses (PHCPNs) in Eastern Cape, South Africa.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 203 PHCPNs conveniently selected across 41 primary health care facilities in Eastern Cape, South Africa. The WHO STEPwise questionnaire was used for data collection. Abdominal obesity was defined according to the WHO criteria as a waist circumference ≥ 94 cm for men and ≥ 80 cm for women or waist-to-hip ratio ≥ 0.90 in men and ≥ 0.85 in women; and a waist-to-height ratio of 0.50.Results: The prevalence of abdominal obesity ranged from 50%, to 87% to 90%, using waist-to-hip ratio, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, respectively. Age, gender and duration of practice were significantly associated with abdominal obesity. After adjusting for potential confounders, only age 30 years (OR = 6.7; 95% CI = 2.4–18.7; p 0.001) and female sex (AOR = 7.9; 95% CI = 2.4–18.7; p 0.001) were independent predictors of obesity.Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of abdominal obesity among PHCPNs in Eastern Cape, South Africa, which was associated with female sex and ageing. This constitutes a potential risk for the healthcare workforce of the province and might be an impediment to adequate conveyance to patients of health education on healthy weight management by the affected nurses. There is an urgent need for appropriate workplace health policies targeted towards the promotion of physical activities, healthy lifestyle and ultimately weight reduction among this group.

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Nursing Recommendations for the Management of HIV and Hypertension in a rural Primary Health Care Setting, Eastern Cape, South Africa

Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery ◽

10.25159/2520-5293/9047 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Lwandile Tokwe ◽

Joanne Rachel Naidoo

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Health Care ◽

Primary Health Care ◽

Health Education ◽

Chronic Illnesses ◽

Research Approach ◽

Eastern Cape ◽

Primary Health ◽

Co Morbidity ◽

Professional Nurses

South Africa has an increased number of people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH). In addition, older PLWH are prone to developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as co-morbid illnesses, in particular hypertension. South Africa is experiencing a dual burden of care, that being the co-morbidity of HIV and hypertension. The integration of HIV and non-communicable disease management is needed towards a synergised and comprehensive approach within primary health care (PHC) settings. This article presents nursing recommendations yielded by a descriptive phenomenological study on the management of HIV and hypertension in a rural PHC context. A qualitative research approach, using Husserl’s descriptive phenomenology, was employed, and data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted by the first author at Sakhisizwe sub-district clinics, Eastern Cape. Purposive sampling was used to select nine participants. Giorgi’s phenomenological steps underpinned data analysis. Six nursing recommendations were developed to support professional nurses in the management of the co-morbidity of HIV and hypertension: 1) disease-specific health education as opposed to generic health education; 2) utilisation of existing programmes on the integration and management of chronic illnesses; 3) creating social support platforms or spaces; 4) referral pathways; 5) surveillance and monitoring; and 6) management of disease-related stigma. Professional nurses working in PHC clinics have several guidelines to manage chronic illnesses. However, there are limited nursing recommendations on how to manage the co-morbidity of HIV and hypertension. This study focused on a smaller sample of nine participants, in one sub-district and in one district.

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