Marseille 2007
| Abstract #426 - Developing Partnerships Between Non-Profit Health Providers and the Department of Health for the Delivery of Quality Primary Health Care, including those related to HIV and AIDS, in South Africa. | ||||
|
Session: 26.31: Posters B (Poster) on Tuesday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Mr Peter Fumulani Netshipale - Department of Health, South Africa |
||||
| Additional Authors: Mrs Miriam Matshava, Mrs Fikile Naomi Mbatha, Mrs Iris Cupido, Mrs Daphne Ramokgopa, Mr Samkelo Kwesaba, Mrs Lilly Ernest, | ||||
| Aim: Five and a half million people were estimated to live with HIV in South Africa in 2005, which represented 19% of adults aged 15 to 49 years of age. UNAIDS estimated recently that only 21% of HIV infected people received antiretroviral therapy (ART), while a substantial part of those infected had no or reduced access to quality Primary Health Care (PHC) services. In addition, PHC delivery by non-profit organisations (NPOs) is often hampered by inadequate management and skills. We aim to establish partnerships between NPOs and Provincial Departments of Health (DOH) to deliver quality PHC services and in particular those related to HIV and AIDS to the communities. | ||||
| Method / Issue: This DOH programme is operational in 16 selected districts of 5 provinces. NPOs delivering PHC are contracted through an open and transparent process and funded for the services provided. National, provincial and district management units support (1) institutional and management strengthening of the NPOs (2) NPOs staff and caregivers are provided with accredited training (3) implementation of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system to collect information on quantity and quality of PHC services delivered which is to be integrated into the national District Health Information System, (4) evaluation of HBC costing models, and (5) operational research. | ||||
| Results / Comments: By November 2006, 339 NPOs were funded in Western Cape (WC) (n=79), Limpopo (88), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) (52), Eastern Cape (55) and Gauteng (65) provinces. Areas of intervention were rural (52%), urban (28%) and peri-urban (20%). In 2006, over a daily average of 11,000 beneficiaries received PHC from funded NPOs. Overall 22% and 18% of home-based care (HBC) patients received services in relation with HIV/AIDS (ranging from 9% in Limpopo to 35% in Gauteng) and tuberculosis respectively. Services included support for DOT and antiretroviral drugs where appropriate. In KZN, it was estimated that in a convenient sample of 1,571 patients who were admitted for HBC services related to AIDS, only 245 (16%) were supported to receive ARV drugs. Other PHC activities included support to orphans and vulnerable children (n=8,441), VCT (n=11,845) and PMTCT (n=994) sessions. Out of 11,845 persons motivated for VCT, 9,066 were counselled, 2,976 (33%) were HIV positive and only 66 (<1%) referred for CD4 count. Accredited HBC training was provided to 1,019 carers in WC, 1,059 in Limpopo and 663 in KZN; 289 members of NPO board and staff received institutional management training. | ||||
| Discussion: Partnerships between NPOs and DOH have contributed to improved access to PHC for the poorest South African communities. We believe that the establishment of an M&E system on NPOs PHC activities and provision of accredited management and clinical training to NPOs staff will contribute to improved access to quality PHC delivery. Access to VCT and ARV drugs are among the major challenges of the programme. | ||||
| Go Back | ||||
