scholarly journals Integrated Decentralized Training for Health Professions Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Protocol for the I-DecT Project (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pragashnie Govender ◽  
Verusia Chetty ◽  
Deshini Naidoo ◽  
Ntsikelelo Pefile
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The University ◽  
Roll Out

BACKGROUND The Integrated Decentralized Training (i-DecT) project was created to address the current need for health care in South Africa among resource poor climates in rural and periurban settings. The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in South Africa has embarked on a program within the School of Health Sciences (SHS) to decentralize the clinical learning platform in order to address this disparity. Framed in a pragmatic stance, this proposal is geared towards informing the roll out of decentralized clinical training (DCT) within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. There currently remains uncertainty as to how the implementation of this program will unfold, especially for the diverse SHS, which includes specialities like audiology, dentistry, occupational therapy, optometry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology, and sport science. Consequently, there is a need to carefully monitor and manage this DCT in order to ensure that the participating students have a positive learning experience and achieve expected academic outcomes, and that the needs of the communities are addressed adequately. OBJECTIVE The study aims to explore the factors that will influence the roll-out of the DCT by developing an inclusive and context-specific model that will adhere to the standards set by the SHS for the DCT program at UKZN. METHODS Key role players, including but not limited to, the South African Ministry of Health policy makers, clinicians, policy makers at UKZN, clinical educators, academicians, and students of UKZN within the SHS will participate in this project. Once the infrastructural, staffing and pedagogical enablers and challenges are identified, together with a review of existing models of decentralized training, a context-specific model for DCTl will be proposed based on initial pilot data that will be tested within iterative cycles in an Action Learning Action Research (ALAR) process. RESULTS The study was designed to fit within the existing structures, and emerging framework and memorandum of understanding between the partners of this initiative, namely, the Ministry of Health and UKZN in order to develop health care professionals that are competent and prepared for the changing dynamics of healthcare in a developing world. CONCLUSIONS It is envisioned that this study, the first to include a combination of health professionals in a DCT platform at UKZN, will not only contribute to effective service delivery, but may also serve to promote an interprofessional cooperation within the SHS and tertiary institutions in similar settings.

scholarly journals Protocol for Investigating the Technical Efficiency of District Hospitals in the Public Health Sector of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tesleem K Babalola ◽  
Indres Moodley
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Technical Efficiency ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
District Hospitals ◽  
Kwazulu Natal

BACKGROUND The central objective of policy makers and health managers is efficiency in the delivery of health care. With frequent reports of global economic crises, there is a need to continuously measure the performance of various sectors of the health care system. This can inform the decision-making process toward allocating scarce resources with the aim of maximizing output. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to determine the technical efficiency (TE) of public sector district hospitals in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa to provide information that will assist in policy formulation that may further assist in more efficient resource allocation decisions. METHODS This is a health system research based on a quantitative research approach. All 38 public district hospitals in the 11 municipalities of the province will be included in this study. The data for the study will include inputs from hospitals’ operations that contribute toward subsequent outputs. The input data will include information such as the number of health professionals (doctors, nurses, and other personnel) and number of hospital beds, whereas the output data will include information such as outpatient visits and number of admissions or discharge. Other data categories to be included will be determined by data availability and will be uniform for all facilities. Data for each facility for a 3-year period from 2014 to 2017 will be obtained from databases of the district health information, basic accounting, and personnel salary systems. On the basis of the data obtained, a model will be developed that can be used to assess how TE of public districts hospitals may be improved. TE will be determined using Data Envelopment Analysis, and factors influencing efficiency will be computed using StataCorp statistical package. RESULTS As of February 2019, the study is at the data collection, data input, and analysis stages. The results are expected to be available from the second quarter of 2019. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study can add to tools available to policy makers, health planners, and managers in making decisions about resource allocation in health care systems. Moreover, these findings will be disseminated electronically and in print. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPOR DERR1-10.2196/12037

scholarly journals Core competencies acquired in indigenous training of traditional health practitioners in Kwazulu-Natal

1970 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 3100-3106
Author(s):  
Mbatha Nompumelelo ◽  
Exnevia Gomo ◽  
Nceba Gqaleni ◽  
Mlungisi Ngcobo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Spiritual Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Sequential Data ◽  
Traditional Health ◽  
Traditional Health Practitioners ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Health Practitioners

Introduction: Despite the recognition of Traditional Medicine systems as a critical component of health care by the WHO and the African Union, its integration into the health care mainstream remains very subdued in South Africa. This is partly due to the lack of empirical data pertinent to traditional healer training that could inform the accreditation process. Objective: To determine core competencies acquired by Traditional Health Practitioners (THP) of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa during their apprenticeship. Materials and methods: Purposeful, convenient and snowballing sampling and the sequential data collection methods of questionnaires, journaling and focus groups was used to collect data from the THP tutors and their trainees in rural, peri-urban and urban areas of eThekwini and uThungulu Districts of Kwa Zulu Natal (KZN). Results: Eleven core competencies were identified: consultation, diagnoses, holistic patient care and treatment, integrative and holistic healing, application of healing procedures and cultural rituals, spiritual development, ethical competencies, problem solving, herbalism, ancestral knowledge and end of life care. Conclusion: The apprenticeship of THPs in KZN is based on eleven core competencies. These competencies are fundamental pillars for critical health care provided by THPs and are crucial for setting standards for the accreditation of traditional training in South Africa if the THP Act 22 of 2007 is to achieve its purpose of providing for the management of and control over the registration, training and conduct of the practitioners. Hence, the appointed interim THP Council should include the identified competencies when articulating bases for accreditation of the training and assessments.Keywords: Indigenous training, traditional health practitioners, Kwazulu-Natal.

scholarly journals Experiences of people affected by rabies in Ethekwini district in the province of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-157
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Mduduzi Hadebe ◽  
Maureen Nokuthula Sibiya
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Family Stability ◽  
Notifiable Disease ◽  
The Past ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Care Assistance ◽  
Rabies Exposure

Background: South Africa is one of the countries in Africa adversely affected by rabies, a notifiable disease which can be fatal. Fatalities can be prevented if health care is sought timeously and people are educated about the disease. The Province of Kwa- Zulu-Natal, in particular, has had rabies outbreaks in the past which have led to loss of many lives and devastation of entire families. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of people affected by rabies in the eThekwini district of Kwa- Zulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: The study was guided by a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design. The sample was purposively selected, and a semi-structured interview was used to collect data from people affected by rabies in the eThekwini district. Data saturation was reached after 12 participants were interviewed. Data was analysed by using Tesch’s eight steps of thematic analysis. Results: The themes included family stability and support structures, exposure to risk factors and risky practices, factors that hindered participants from seeking health care assistance, limited knowledge about rabies and the effects of rabies. Conclusion: It was evident that participants experienced many challenges during their rabies exposure. Individuals, who were directly affected by rabies through contact with rabid animals, were expected to take responsibility for their own lives. Keywords: Rabies; South Africa; qualitative research. 

scholarly journals Reproductive awareness and recognition of unintended pregnancy: young women, key informants and health care providers perspectives in South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwaseyi Dolapo Somefun ◽  
Jane Harries ◽  
Deborah Constant
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Unintended Pregnancy ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Second Trimester ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Abortion Care ◽  
Pregnancy Status

Abstract Background South Africa has a liberal abortion law, yet denial of care is not uncommon, usually due to a woman being beyond the legal gestational age limit for abortion care at that facility. For women successfully obtaining care, time from last menstrual period to confirmation of pregnancy is significantly longer among those having an abortion later in the second trimester compared to earlier gestations. This study explores women’s experiences with recognition and confirmation of unintended pregnancy, their understanding of fertile periods within the menstrual cycle as well as healthcare providers’ and policy makers’ ideas for public sector strategies to facilitate prompt confirmation of pregnancy. Methods We recruited participants from July through September 2017, at an urban non-governmental organization (NGO) sexual and reproductive health (SRH) facility and two public sector hospitals, all providing abortion care into the second trimester. We conducted in-depth interviews and group discussions with 40 women to elicit information regarding pregnancy recognition and confirmation as well as fertility awareness. In addition, 5 providers at these same facilities and 2 provincial policy makers were interviewed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Uncertainties regarding pregnancy signs and symptoms greatly impacted on recognition of pregnancy status. Women often mentioned that others, including family, friends, partners or colleagues noticed pregnancy signs and prompted them to take action. Several women were unaware of the fertility window and earliest timing for accurate pregnancy testing. Health care providers and policy makers called for strategies to raise awareness regarding risk and signs of pregnancy and for pregnancy tests to be made more readily accessible. Conclusion Early recognition of unintended pregnancy in this setting is frustrated by poor understanding and awareness of fertility and pregnancy signs and symptoms, compounded by a distrust of commercially available pregnancy tests. Improving community awareness around risk and early signs of pregnancy and having free tests readily available may help women confirm their pregnancy status promptly.

scholarly journals Sense (Scents) of South Africa

1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-5
Author(s):  
Katherine F. Shepard
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Health Care ◽  
South African ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Speech Pathology ◽  
African Society ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
The University ◽  
Physiotherapy Education

This paper presents a brief description of some of the author’s perceptions of the land, of physiotherapy education and practice and of the struggle of the nation of South Africa acquired during a 4 week visit in late spring 1997. One week was spent in Cape Town participating in several venues at the International Congress of the South African Society of Physiotherapy. Three weeks were spent at the University of the Witswatersrand in Johannesburg presenting a course in qualitative research to health care colleagues representing the disciplines of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology and occupational health. During the time in Johannesburg several health care facilities were visited including Baragwanath Hospital, Natal Hospital and the Wits Rural Facility and Tinswalo Hospital at Acornhoek.

scholarly journals Measuring the quality of primary care in national health surveys: Lessons from Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erno Harzheim ◽  
Luiz F. Pinto ◽  
Otávio P. D'Avila ◽  
Lisiane Hauser
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
National Health ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Ministry Of Health ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Assessment

Background: South Africa started to lead the cross-culturally validation and use of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) in Africa, when Professor Bresick filled a gap, as this continent was until then the only one that had never used it in evaluation of primary health care facilities until 2015.Aim: The authors aim to demonstrate that after the consolidation of Bresick’s team to an African version of PCAT, it had been adapted to household survey in Brazil.Methods: In this letter, authors reflect on how Brazil had adapted PCAT to a national random household survey with Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) – the Brazilian Census Bureau.Results: In the the beginning of 2019, Brazilian Ministry of Health brought back the PCAT as the official national primary health care assessment tool. Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) included a new module (set of questions) in its National Health Survey (PNS-2019) and collected more than 100 000 households interviews in about 40% of the country’s municipalities. This module had 25 questions of the Brazilian validated version of the adult reduced PCAT.Conclusion: We believe that IBGE innovation with the Ministry of Health can encourage South Africa to establish a similar partnership with its National Institute of Statistics (Statistics South Africa) for the country to establish a baseline for future planning of primary health care, for decision-making based on scientific evidence.

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