Workshops

Date: 29 November 2010
Venue:  East London Convention Centre
Time: 09:00 – 15:00

NOTE: All workshop attendance is free for confirmed (PAID) participants attending the conference. A limited amount of delegates can be accommodated in each workshop, so registrations will be on a first come, first served basis.

Workshop1

• Title: Health System Reform in South Africa: How can the Right to Health be strengthened?
• Host: The People's Health Movement South Africa (PHM-SA)
• Target group: Public health professionals, policy makers, community activists, students, health managers

Current health status in South Africa - and more broadly in Africa - remains a matter of concern with increasing health inequalities between rich and poor and urban and rural communities.  Health systems are weak and fragmented and there is an increasing dependency of most African governments on global funding and many donor driven programmes.  Civil society actions have also been fragmented with frequent duplication of activities and competition for funds.

In South Africa, the health status of the population has not improved over the past 20 years. HIV/AIDS is a large part of this stagnation, but other health problems are also impacting negatively on population health. To overcome the widening inequity between private and public health care a National Health Insurance scheme has been proposed.

The aim of the workshop is to explore current health system reform initiatives in South Africa and Africa from the point of view of the People's Health Movement's commitment to realising health as a right, nationally, regionally and globally.

Learning Objectives:

1. To raise awareness among participants of PHM’s history, evolution and current activities, particularly in Africa
2. To advance participants' understanding of the implications for realising the right to health of current policy changes proposed relating to a National Health Insurance in South Africa
3. To increase familiarity and understanding of the PHM’s Right to Health Programme and its People's Health Charter
4. To provide an opportunity for public engagement on Health System Reform in South Africa through future PHM activities including the People's Health Assembly in 2011

Content:

• Background to PHM Global and PHM SA; PHM programme of work
• What is implied by a Right to Health
• An analysis of the NHI debates from a perspective of the need to realise the right to health

Methodology:

• Inputs and discussion
• Case study involving group discussion and report back
• Development of plans of action

Workshop 2

• Name: Mental health advocacy and psychosocial rehabilitation
• Facilitators: Ms Charlene Sunkel (Central Gauteng Mental Health Society), Author/Producer: "Madness Revealed" Theatre Productions

Description
South Africa has made a giant leap in terms of protecting and respecting the rights of persons with mental disability, where such rights are enshrined in our Mental Health Care Act, Human Rights Bill and other legislation/ policies and strategies.

As a person with mental illness (schizophrenia) Ms Charlene Sunkel will speak from the heart and with passion where mental health advocacy and awareness has become her life's work.

The workshop will look at the impact of mental health advocacy, not only on the lives of those with mental illness but their families and society, how it improves the quality of life of persons with mental health conditions and empower them to take charge of their own lives by identifying and addressing their needs.

Target group: All

Workshop 3

• Name: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome prevention in South Africa: What is the current evidence?
• Facilitators: Dr K Rendall-Mkosi (School Of Health Systems and Public Health, University Of Pretoria), Dr L London (School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University Of Cape Town)

Description
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome remains one of the major preventable causes of birth defects worldwide and is a significant contributor to the burden of disease in South Africa, where rates of FAS have been reported that are the highest in the world. A multitude of social factors have driven the high rates of FAS, estimated in different studies to range between 2 and 10 cases of FAS per 100 children. The burden from FASD (i.e. the full spectrum of FAS-related disorders) is probably even higher. For this reason, prevention efforts targeting groups at high risk for FAS have been the subject of a number of different studies in South Africa over the past years. These have focused on Motivational Interviewing, Lifeskills, provider training and community actions to reduce the risks for FAS in both high-risk and low-risk populations.

This workshop will present the findings of the different research groups regarding prevention of FAS and the emerging strategies for its prevention, offering the opportunity for both those working in the field to network with each others, as well as informing the broader Public Health community of the current state of the evidence regarding FAS prevention in the local context.

Target group: Primarily researchers working the field of FAS, substance abuse, public policy; health service managers involved in child health, non-communicable diseases; public interest groups and NGOs'; Students

Workshop 4

• Name: Alcohol, the Media and Public Health
• Facilitators: Dr Joanne Corrigall, Public Health Specialist, Western Cape Dept of Health, School of Public Health University of Cape Town, Mr Richard Matzopoulos, Specialist Scientist in Violence Prevention, Medical Research Council

Description
Alcohol is the third largest cause of death and disease in South Africa yet its use is actively promoted through advertising, the media and society. Come and attend sneak previews of Booza TV, a really fresh and provocative look at drinking and related interventions. This workshop will engage participants about  how science can  interact with the age of information and the  global media explosion to make a difference to public health. 

The workshop will include screenings of selected episodes (24 mins each):

• Episode 1- thought provoking introduction to the topic looking at drinking patterns, how people start drinking, comparing alcohol to other drugs and the presence of advertising- a great conversation kick-starter.
• Episode 3- the role of the general media (radio, magazine and music scene attitudes towards their responsibilities and how they promote drinking); drink-driving and the impact of drinking on the governments ability to deliver good health care
• Episode 4- violence and alcohol- is violence caused by alcohol and if so why only in certain circumstances? is there anything we can do about it?
• Episode 5- reducing access to alcohol- this episode looks at the many issues raised by introducing legislation to reduce access to alcohol. The perspectives of liquor sellers, the government and communities are highlighted and culminate in an animated boxing match between the liquor industry heavyweights and the dept of health
• Episode 6- community and individual solutions- this episode focuses on what communities can/are doing that is working as well as looking at how individuals and society are shifting and can shift towards healthier social attitudes towards drinking. A feel good ending.
• In between episodes, participants will be encouraged to discuss the issues raised by Booza TV and how Public Health can both limit and use the media to contribute to population health.

Target audience: All

Workshop 5

• Name: Core competencies in Public Health for undergraduates in South Africa
• Facilitators: Dr Leslie London(School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University Of Cape Town), Dr Virginia Zweigenthal (School of Public Health and Family Medicine ,University Of Cape Town)

Human Resource Development remains one of the persistent challenges facing the health system in South Africa. While much attention has been paid to the clinical competencies required of health professionals to support the District Health System, there has been less attention paid to the population-oriented public health skills needed for graduates from our medical and other health professional programmes. Yet skills in epidemiology, demography, health promotion, health economics and health advocacy are critical to the success of a PHC-based health system.

This workshop will bring together staff involved in teaching Public Health at undergraduate level to share experiences and ideas related to the core competencies needed of graduates for the Health professions in South Africa. As a first effort to reflect on this question nationally, it may lead to better understanding of how to make public health skills more visible in health professional curricula, to enhance the profile of its teaching and contribute in the long term to a better base for career pathing in public health.

Target group: Primarily staff who teach public health at tertiary institutions in SA; students; health service managers who appoint graduates; researchers in public health interested in HRD

Workshop 6

• Name: Theory- based for public health intervention research
• Facilitators: Prof Supa Pengpid, School of Public Health, University of Limpopo, South Africa; Miss Linda Skaal, School of Public Health, University of Limpopo

Description
This workshop aims to introduce and equip participants with concepts of theory and evidence based public health intervention. This will build capacity for public health researcher to conduct intervention-oriented research for solving public health problems. The workshop will also serve as platform for exchange knowledge and research experiences, which expected for further establish interest group in theory-based and intervention research.

Target group: Public health researchers, evaluators, project managers, clinicians and specialists; Post-graduate students at both master and doctoral levels; Health research managers and policy makers (It would be ideal if participants come with own research concepts or projects)

Contents: (participants will learn about)
The utilization of theory to generate ideas in public health research and evaluation; Strategy for the development and implementation of intervention programmes; How to develop an effective intervention-oriented research; Models and theories in public health and health behaviour research; Methods of theory testing and theory comparison in research; Practical case study and models of effective of intervention research.

Workshop 7

• Title: Situating research in public health training and practice: current debates and emerging good practice
• Conveners:  Prof Christina Zarowsky and Lucy Alexander, School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape.

Abstract: Research and evidence are integral to public health practice, but the competencies required for effective practice range from practical M+E to critical appraisal skills to original research within and across a range of disciplines. The tensions between these needs are particularly evident within MPH programmes, which seek to develop professional, management and research skills. There is a wide variety of practices and understandings in South African schools of public health regarding how to train for research, and what kind of research.  Current DoE policy penalizes structured professional Masters Programmes.  This half day workshop will discuss pre-circulated reviews of current practice across Schools of Public Health on how best to incorporate research in public health, with a focus on MPH programmes but in the broader context of the field. It builds on recent discussions on differentiation and collaboration across schools of public health (including discussions at UWC's Symposium on Public Health in the Age of HIV) and other workshops at PHASA such as on undergraduate education.

Contact Details
Prof Christina  Zarowsky,  E-mail: czarowsky@gmail.com

Workshop 8

• Title:  Healthy people require appropriate health care decisions: learn how the Cochrane HIV/AIDS Review Group can help you meet this challenge
• Author: Elizabeth D Pienaar on behalf of the Cochrane HIV/AIDS Review Group
• Contact details: Elizabeth.Pienaar@mrc.ac.za

Aim of skills development session:
To equip participants with the knowledge to

• Understand differences between traditional narrative and systematic reviews (SR)
• Know where to find SRs of HIV/AIDS interventions
• Interpret results of a SR including meta-analyses

Brief description of skills development session:
Given the serious implications of the unfolding HIV/AIDS pandemic it is essential for healthcare providers to provide care based on the most reliable evidence.  To make informed decisions, they need to access, appraise and interpret relevant research evidence. 

The Cochrane HIV/AIDS Review Group supports researchers to conduct SRs of randomized controlled trials to evaluate the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of HIV infection and AIDS. SRs of prevention interventions include primary and secondary prevention.  Reviews of treatment interventions include treatment of HIV infection and AIDS and the associated opportunistic infections and malignancies. During this workshop we will introduce the format of SRs and explain the difference between these and traditional narrative reviews.
Participants will gain skills necessary to access, assess and interpret SRs with respect to HIV/AIDS.

Expected outcomes:
At the end of the workshop attendees will have:

1. Knowledge and understanding of SRs
2. Skills and knowledge needed to access, assess and interpret the results of a SR health care interventions related to HIV/AIDS

Target audience:
Health care providers, policy makers and researchers.

Meetings during the Conference

1. Special Interest group on Public Health Medicine(career pathing)
2. Special interest group PHD (Public Health)
3. Special interest group Nurses ( Public Health)
   Contact: Thandi Puoane: tpuoane@uwc.ac.za and Ria Kirsten: Rkirsten@pgwc.gov.za

   The Public Health Association of South Africa (PHASA) was established in 2000 with the mission of building an association of those involved in health and health-related activities to promote greater equity in health.  The PHASA executive committee feels that nurses have been a neglected cadre of health workers in Public Health issues, yet they play a very important role in patient care and therefore need to be involved in current debates related to Public Health. This is therefore an invitation to all nurses with an interest in Public Health to join a Special Nurses Interest Group (SNIG)

   • What is an interest Group?
     An interest Group comprises of people with an interest in advancing a specific area of knowledge, learning or technology where members cooperate to effect or to produce solutions within their particular field, and may communicate, meet and organize conferences. They may at times also advocate or lobby on a particular issue or on a range of issues concerning Public Health.
   • What are the benefits of joining PHASA’s interest group?
     Being a part of one of the PHASA’s Interest Groups offers many benefits such as:
• Networking with other health professionals in your field and sharing information at the Annual Meeting.
• Updates about current discussions in Public Health
• Provides a platform to communicate with other professionals who have an interest in Public Health issues.

Another key benefit is the newsletter available through the PHASA Website. The newsletters provide articles on topics of interest, links to relevant websites, information on obtaining professional resources, messages from the chair, information on upcoming conferences and the PHASA Annual Meeting.

4. African public health associations
5. PHASA EXEC Meeting