Health System Trust announces the first edition of the SA SURE Project’s Stories of Change – a quarterly publication presenting case stories that describe how SA SURE Project teams partner with Health Department personnel to apply policy in contextual practice in facilities across the country, and thus achieve sustainable responses to HIV, AIDS and TB. They share these stories to convey the beginnings of good practice: interesting experiences of how key challenges are being addressed using various tools, enterprise and connection to support service quality improvement at clinic level.
Useful Resources
The SA SURE Project Stories of Change
Health Systems Trust: : SA SURE Stories of Change 1(1): January 2015
Zero Stigma, Zero Discrimination toolkit
South African National AIDS Council
World AIDS Day is commemorated each year on the 1st of December and is an opportunity for every community to unite in the fight against HIV, show support for people living with HIV and remember those who have died. The UNAIDS World AIDS Day theme for 2011 to 2015 is: “Getting to Zero”. This year, South Africa will focus on ZERO DISCRIMINATION, without losing sight of the other ‘zeroes’, Zero new HIV infections; and Zero AIDS related deaths. A group of HIV-positive people have told their stories and experiences of stigma and discrimination. These are not stories of despair and hopelessness, but stories of courage and hope, and tell of how key people in their lives helped them to overcome challenges. These stories have been captured on video, in photographs and in text. They are available free of charge on the SANAC website for civil society, the private sector, media and others to use in their World AIDS Day campaigns.
Global Wealth Inequality - What you never knew you never knew
TheRulesOrg: You tube, April 2013
While global inequality has become even more intense since this it was made, this short 4 minute video has some quick visuals on global inequalities in wealth.
Knowledge, Equity and Health in post-Apartheid South Africa...What's Race got to do with it?
University of Cape Town South Africa: September 2013
The School of Public Health and Family Medicine hosted a seminar and panel discussion, "Knowledge, Equity and Health in post-Apartheid South Africa...What's Race got to do with it?" on 1 August 2013. The guest speaker was Professor Lundy Braun from Browns University, USA. As part of its on-going programme on transformation, Professor Mohamed Jeebhay, head of the School of Public Health and Family Medicine the School of Public Health and Family Medicine invited Professor Braun to draw on her own research in reflecting on the topic. The panellists included Professor Raj Ramesar (human genetics), Glenda Wildschut (Transformation Services Office), Dr Sophia Kisting-Cairncross.
Zika Virus Fact Sheet
World Health Organisation: Geneva, 2016
This fact sheet provides information on the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys, and subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific. The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days. Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. People with Zika virus disease usually have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache lasting for 2-7 days. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. The leaflet provides updated information on the virus given its recent spread in Latin America.
Code4SA launch new medicines pricing app
Health-E News, February 2015
Created by the non-profit Code4SA, this new app uses the latest single exit prices for medicines to let people see if they are paying too much for medication in South Africa. In 2004, the government introduced a single exit price mechanism for medicines to put a stop to discounts and additional levies on medicines. The mechanism now lists the maximum price for most medicines. However, dispensers may charge an additional dispensing fee depending on the price of the medicine. Using the latest single exit prices, the free app allows people to check what price they should be paying for prescriptions – and whether cheaper generics are available.
Ebola preparedness: emergency department training modules
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 2015
This course is directed at emergency department staff. It is aimed at training to help emergency department staff prepare to evaluate whether or not a patient might have ebola virus disease. Staff members should use this information to follow the 3 steps within the “Identify, Isolate, and Inform” strategy. Centers for Disease Control recommends that staff members screen all patients with travel histories, exposure, or clinical symptoms that might suggest the person could have ebola virus disease.
Free access to OUP resources for ebola world health emergency
Oxford University Press, 2015
In response to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, Oxford University Press has made more than 50 articles from leading journals and online resources freely accessible to assist researchers, medical professionals, policy makers, and others working on the containment, treatment, and prevention of Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Articles are free to access worldwide until 4 January 2016.
Health in all policies: training manual
World Health Organisation, February 2015
The World Health Organisation (WHO) calls on enhanced global efforts to improve health in some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities by tackling the root causes of disease and health inequalities. In order to address this and to spur up action, raise awareness and facilitate implementation of a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach WHO has launched a Health in All Policies training manual. This manual is a training resource to increase understanding of the importance of Health in All Policies among health and other professionals. The material will form the basis of 2- and 3-day workshops, which will: build capacity to promote, implement and evaluate HiAP; encourage engagement and collaboration across sectors; facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned; promote regional and global collaboration on HiAP; and promote dissemination of skills to develop training courses for trainers.
Video: Health For All Now! The 3rd People's Health Assembly
Saugues S, Madonko T, 19 February 2015
This video is of the Third People’s Health Assembly, organised by the People’s Health Movement (PHM) at the University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa, 6-11 July 2012. It brought health activists, civil society, academics, communities, health professionals, networks and individuals from across the world together to analyse global health and to strategise jointly towards Health for All.