The study was part of a cluster of countries studies on distribution and retention of human resources for health in the EQUINET/ Health Systemns Trust theme work on Human Resourdces for Health. The paper explored factors in the retention of pharmacists in South Africa. The key findings are:
• Most pharmacists trained at the University of the North are within South Africa.
• Of 121 respondents, 46% work in rural areas, and 63% in the public sector. Pharmacists of rural origin are more likely to work in rural areas and in the public sector than their counterparts coming from urban areas.
• In the reasons given for choosing the current job, opportunities for further professional development and the desire to serve the community were more commonly cited factors than pay. However, many said they would change jobs for better pay.
• Respondents perceived that the profession was not adequately recognised or valued within the health sector nor by clients.
These and other study findings reported suggest that a mix of financial and non-financial incentives are needed to address the scarcity of pharmacists in the public sector and in rural areas.
Latest Equinet Updates
Over the last couple of years EQUINET, through the Health Economics Unit University of Cape Town and the Centre for Health Policy at the University of the Witswaterand, have been running a program of work on Fair Financing in the health sector. Two calls for proposals sent out this year in line with this program of work are in resource allocation and resource mobilisation. The deadline for the proposals is 19 May 2006, with work expected to begin on 1 July 2006 and completed on 28 February 2007.
The meeting briefly:
* reviewed evidence, current programmes and priority areas for future work to support retention and manage migration of HRH from national and regional level;
* planned a regional programme of work to support national HRH planning, monitoring and evaluation; and
* discussed institutional mechanisms for guidance and review of the follow up work programme.
An exploratory discussion was also held to map priority areas of work to gather, analyse and review evidence on costs and benefits of HRH migration out of east and southern Africa, and to assess and support policy measures aimed at managing HRH migration.
Hon Guracha Galgalo, Chairman of the Parliamentary committee on Health, Housing and Social Services in the Kenya National Assembly was tragically killed in an accident that killed fourteen people after a Kenya Airforce plane crashed into a hill in Marsabit on 10 April 2006. Among those on board the plane were Assistant Ministers Mirugi Kariuki and Titus Nguyoni and MPs Bonaya Godana, Abdi Sasura and Guracha Galgalo. Hon Guracha Galgalo as Chairman of the Parliamentary committee on Health, Housing and Social Services worked with the Nairobi Equity Gauge, GEGA and EQUINET in building parliamenary work to promote equity in health in Kenya and in east and southern Africa. EQUINET has expressed deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Hom Galgalos family, to the members of the Committee and the Kenyan National Assembly as a whole.
EQUINET through the Health Economics Unit University of Cape Town, Cape Town South Africa invites applicants for medium scale research grants (of up to £9000 each) for experienced individuals working in the field of health care financing in East and Southern Africa. Interested participants are encouraged to submit proposals for the development of country level case studies and to undertake research on a particular area of resource mobilisation or mechanisms for strengthening cross-subsidies in the overall health system.
EQUINET through the Health Economics Unit University of Cape Town, Cape Town South Africa invites applicants for two small research grants (of £1500 each) to undertake small-scale country level case studies on the implementation of equitable resource allocation. Applicants should come from countries that are currently implementing health care resource allocation based on a needs-based resource allocation formula or similar approach.
The Regional Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (EQUINET) and the Health Systems Research Unit of Medical Research Council (MRC), South Africa invite interested individuals/groups to apply for grants to prepare commissioned country case studies on existing food security and nutrition programmes in the region that demonstrate good practice in health systems promotion of food sovereignty and equity.
The Regional Network for Equity in Health in east and southern Africa (EQUINET) EQUINET is inviting interested people to apply for a grant to prepare a commissioned paper on district health systems facilitators and barriers to community participation in health. The commissioned author will review and analyse literature and secondary evidence to present evidence and analysis of the current situation with regard to community voice and roles at district level; how district planning, decision making, financing and budgeting, resource allocation, programme implementation enable or block such participation, and how districts articulate and represent community interests at national level. It is hoped that the paper will present positive case studies of community representation and district facilitation of community voice at national level.
Call Closes On March 20 2006
The Regional Network for Equity in Health in Southern Africa (EQUINET) promotes policies for equity in health across a range of priority theme areas (See www.equinetafrica.org). EQUINET invites applicants for small research grants for post graduate and undergraduate students in East and Southern Africa. Students are encouraged to submit focused proposals that look at a specific issue and either organise secondary evidence or gather empirical evidence in one of the priority areas of EQUINET work listed below.
EQUINET invites applicants for small research grants for post graduate and undergraduate students in East and Southern Africa. Students are encouraged to submit focused proposals that look at a specific issue and either organise secondary evidence or gather empirical evidence in one of the priority areas of EQUINET work.