Africa’s rise over the past decade has been very real. While sceptics still abound, and there are people who still seek to debate the point, the evidence of Africa’s clear progress is irrefutable….more
Author Archives: Shabir Moosa
DoH SA tweets
Official tweets from the National Department of Health South Africa….more
Millennium Development Goals expire next year … What then?
The UN needs to get a fix on achievable goals for its next 15-year global development agenda. Economics may well show the way….more
New data shows country may see decline in new HIV cases
Better care and treatment of HIV patients may be putting the country on the road to a decline in infections – and the secret lies in patients’ blood, according to new data….more
Speeches: Free State, KZN, Gauteng, Western Cape health budgets
Selected provincial health budget vote speeches from the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng the Western Cape provinces….more
SA can learn from Brazil’s health model
Graziela dos Santos (25) is walking down a street in one of Brazil’s favelas, Coahab Raposo Tavares, in São Paulo. Fast. As she travels down a hill, body lurching forward, Dos Santos’s arms swing. Favelas are Brazil’s equivalent of South African townships. This one is in a part of São Paulo called Boa Vista and about 20 000 people live here. To be more precise, 19 903 people. Dos Santos knows, because she helped to count them herself. Raposo Tavares is home to all kinds of accommodation: government-subsidised townhouses and flats, self-built houses that are stacked on top of one another in a way that would leave even Londoners cringing with discomfort, and the shacklike homes that millions of South Africans would know well…..more
Alexandra, Sandton and bridging the economic divide
A few months ago, architect Fanuel Motsepe, who lives in Bramley, a suburb on the Alexandra side of the M1 motorway, was invited by a Belgian friend to take an early morning walk. The pair set off at 4.30am. Their route traced the so-called “Great Walk” out of Alexandra. Every day about 10 000 people walk and cycle roughly 5km from Alex to Sandton, their route threading through Wynberg before cautiously crossing over the M1 at Grayston interchange into Sandton. Similar acts are performed in countless towns and cities across the country, across velds, through parks and around palisade fences….more
Districts have little money, power to provide services
As the ranks of managers bloat, less money may be going to service delivery in some health districts as about half of districts report they do not have the managers, money or control to do their jobs properly. This is according to a study recently conducted by the Pretoria-based Foundation for Professional Development (FPD), which provides on-going training to health workers and technical assistance to some districts. As part of the research, FPD surveyed about 240 senior managers from almost half of the country’s health districts to find out what has gone wrong with district health care….more
Medical male circumcision becomes the ‘in’ thing
Red tape keeps foreign physicians out of health care
Foreign medical professionals comprise about 13 percent of public sector medical practitioners, according to a new report released today (29 September) by University of the Witswatersrand’s African Centre for Migration and Society. About 40 percent of these workers come from neighbouring countries and about an equal portion from overseas. A quarter of these workers come from African countries farther afield…..more
In democracies, law is important but politics is decisive
THE constitution and the law are there to ensure that democratic politics happens within agreed rules — not to make politics go away. One result of Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s Nkandla report is debate among lawyers — and political parties — on her powers. One side of the argument insists that she can only recommend and cannot tell the government what to do. The other, which includes Madonsela, relies on a clause in the constitution that says the office can take “remedial action” to argue that it can order government to act. The dispute may be headed to the courts…..more
Glowing reviews of school health efforts by CHWs
Glowing reviews of school health efforts by CHWs
A police officer from the Moroka Police Station in Soweto visited the Chiawelo Community Practice this morning. She wanted to convey her feelings of gratitude and admiration for the CCP Community Health Workers who had been part of a Career Day on Friday 26th September at the Gazankulu Primary School in Chiawelo, Ward 11. She was clearly emotional and sometimes could not find words to describe this. She really appreciated the way they taught using role play and sketches. This effort was led by our new Health Promotion Coordinator, Nkosinathi Makhubo.
A message from Margret Chan
Margret Chan could not be at the Third Global Symposium on Health Systems Research in Cape Town! This is because she is currently working with global leaders to formulate a strategy to address the Ebola Virus. She sent a video message for us!
She emphasized the importance of people centered health systems! She reiterated that the spread of the Ebola virus is evidence of the failure of health systems in fragile states.
She’s asked all health care workers and leaders to continue the fight for people centered health care, to research, and to continue these important conversations that put health systems on the global agenda!
Health systems strengthening is a nation building strategy
Global health systems
People health systems is the focus of this years Global Health Systems symposium as the world gathers in Cape Town to share ideas to address global health challenges.
September in Pictures at Chiawelo Community Practice
A Colouful Practice – Celebrating Heritage Day!
The team at Chiawelo Community Practice (CCP) celebrated South Africa’s cultural diversity during the week surrounding Heritage Day by dressing in various traditional attire. Patients and visitors to the practice were treated to cultural dress representing Sotho, Pedi, Zulu, Tsonga, Xhosa, and even Mozambican culture, showcasing the diversity of traditions that health workers at CCP come from.
Mapping Chiawelo
The team of Community Health Workers (CHWs) at CCP revised the way they are working in the community by mapping their streets and organising their workload more effectively. Using a large map, CHWs have a better sense of how to navigate the dense population in Chiawelo’s Ward 11, and are in a better position to organise themselves in terms of health promotion activities in the community
Research Day at Wits
A few members of the CHW team, lead by David Kampi, manned a stand at the Wits Research Day to showcase the work being done at CCP. There was tremendous interest by members of faculty and students attending the Research Day, and discussions are in place to set up a student volunteer programme at CCP.
Student Visits
A group of Masters Medical Sociology students doing a course on HIV/AIDS visited CCP to see how the practice works in relation to the existing service. The students were able to engage with clinicians at the practice, and were fortunate enough to be taken on a guided tour of the Hanyani HIV/AIDS clinic at Chiawelo Community Health Centre by Sister Ester Mazibuko.
Rural health workers honoured
Creativity and an understanding of where your patients come from are key to being a successful rural doctor, says Dr Jenny Nash, who this week was named Rural Doctor of the Year….more
Department of Health Strategic Plan 2014/15 – 2018/9
Published by the South African Department of Health, this 53-page document outlines eight broad strategic goals for the department within the next four years including rolling out the National Health Insurance (NHI), re-engineering primary health care and improving financial management….more
Gordhan’s ‘back to basics’ campaign a wake-up call for municipalities
THE national government has told municipalities what they need to do — now it needs to help citizens to force them to do it. Largely ignored by media determined not to cover anything that might make a difference to people’s lives, the national government last week hosted a local government summit. Often, official summits are an excuse for politicians to state the obvious. But this summit was important: it showed that Pravin Gordhan’s national ministry responsible for local government is serious about trying to fix municipalities and that the national government is backing it….more
Heritage Day
CCP CHWs Thuli and Hellen got into the mood for Heritage Day in SA. They are dressed up eager for Friday when the whole CHW team will be dressed up in full. A pic will be posted.
AfroPHC 