Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health

E33.2316.099 Community Health: A Society in Transition: Capetown, South Africa Dates: July–August(Application Deadline: March 14)

Course Description:

The seminar examines the impact of these changes on community health. Students examine how primary health care is delivered through the South African health care system; the current distribution of infectious and chronic diseases (including HIV, TB, Malaria and various cancers) in South Africa; specific issues related to reproductive health in South Africa, including the implementation of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention programs and issues in family planning; and shortcomings in health policy and service implementation, associated with the legacy of apartheid as well post-apartheid era developments. Students also spend one week shadowing the activities of community-based social advocacy groups or health NGO’s, in order to gain insights into the important role civil society organizations play in community health in South Africa.

Course Objectives:

To enable participants:

  • To acquire a better understanding of some of the priority areas in reproductive health and infectious diseases in South Africa.
  • To examine key changes that have & are occurring in health policy and service delivery in South Africa, in particular in reproductive health, within the context of broader health service transformation in the country and within the context of South African history
  • To gain insights into key constraints affecting changes in health policy and delivery, especially in reproductive health and in better and less resourced areas of the country.

The objectives will be achieved by focusing on the following content areas (by week):

Week One:

  • Overview of some key events in S.A. history
  • The transformation of the health policy and services in post-apartheid South Africa
  • An overview of changes in reproductive health policy and reproductive health problems in SA
  • Health and human rights
  • Gender-based violence
  • Men’s involvement in reproductive health
  • Fertility and infertility
  • TB and malaria
  • HIV

The course will take the form of informational inputs and discussion. In addition, there will be a site visit to public sector health services at the beginning of the second week of the course. A compilation of readings is supplied to provide background for the course content in week 1.

Week Two:

Students will have an opportunity to be attached to community-based organizations and shadow their activities

Week Three:

There will be a field trip to the province of Kwazulu-Natal where there will be a series of informational inputs, research field site visits and visits to a rural hospital and community.

Week 4:

Students will have an opportunity to consolidate the information and experiences obtained in the first three weeks of the couse and prepare a presentation to their peers and coordinators, preferably on their attachments to organizations in week 2.

Evaluation of Student performance:

Students work on a group project, exploring in greater depth one of the issues discussed in class. Evaluation of student performance is based on a group project, a log, and course participation.

Please note:This summer abroad course forms part of a credit course for the NYU summer abroad program . Attendance at ALL sessions and till the end of the course is compulsory unless the student has liaised and received approval from the student liaison/one of the coordinators for missing a session.

SCHEDULE: July/August 2007

Orientation programme:
Friday 6th July / Saturday 7th July / Sunday 8th July
Morning: Orientation session, 11am – 1pm
Evening: Group Dinner
7:30 (Marco’s place)
(Transport depart Brentwood at 7pm) / Visit to Stellenbosch ‘Dop’ stop project
(whole day, transport and lunch arranged)
(Depart Brentwood 8:30am) / Free time
Possible group outings:
Cape Point
TableMountain
Winelands Tour
RobbenIsland
Week 1: Reproductive Health: Transitions in Health Care Delivery, University of Cape Town
Week 1
July / Monday 9th / Tuesday 10th / Wednesday 11th / Thursday 12th / Friday 13th / Sat/Sun 1415th
a.m. / S1: Overview of South African History (9:00-10:30am)
Tea (10:30-11am)
S2: The transformation of health policy and services in post-apartheid South Africa (11am-1pm) / S4: Gender-based violence in S.A)
Sexual violence: 8am – 9am
Domestic violence 9-10:30am
Tea (10:30-11am)
S5: Fertility and contraception (11am-1pm) / S7: Infectious diseases: TB & Malaria (9-10:30am)
Tea (10:30-11am)
S7: Infectios diseases: TB & Malaria continued (11am-12:30pm) / Site visit: Public sector health services (transport depart outside BarnardFullerBuilding)
9:00am for Mithchells Plain
9:30am for Langa
12:30pm Placement Info. / S10: HIV (9-10:30am)
Tea (10:30-11am)
S10: HIV cont’d
(11am-12:30pm) / Possible group outings:
Cape Point
TableMountain
Winelands Tour
RobbenIsland
1-2pm / LUNCH / LUNCH / LUNCH / LUNCH / LUNCH (12:30-1:30pm)
p.m. / S3: An overview of Reproductive Health Policy changes and key reproductive problems in S.A. (2-3:00pm) / S6: Termination of pregnancy / S8: Men’s involvement in Reproductive Health and Male circumcision – a male reproductive health issue (2-4pm) / S9: Infetility 2-4:00pm) / S10: HIV cont’d
(1:30-3pm)
Evening: Social gathering with UCT students at Brentwood: 7:30pm
Week 2: Students shadow representatives of community-based organizations
Transport for placements depart Brentwood Monday-Thursday at 8:15am
Week 2
July / Monday 16th / Tuesday 17th / Wednesday 18th / Thursday 19nd / Friday 20th / Saturday 21st / Sunday 22nd
NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / Group work:
On presentation / Possible group outings:
Cape Point
TableMountain
Winelands Tour
RobbenIsland / Travel to Durban
Group dinner at Obs café, Main Road, Observatory at 7pm: Feedback on placements / Transport depart at 7:30am to airport
Week 3: Shadowing cont., students depart to Durban
Week 3
July / Monday 23rd / Tuesday 24th / Wednesday 25th / Thursday 26th / Friday 27th / Saturday 28th / Sunday 29th
NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / NGO/ Community-based organizational placements / Group work:
On presentation / Possible group outings:
Cape Point
TableMountain
Winelands Tour
RobbenIsland / Travel to Durban
Group dinner at Obs café, Main Road, Observatory at 7pm: Feedback on placements / Transport depart at 7:30am to airport
Week 4: Sudents return from Durban. Project presentation
Week 4
July/Aug / Monday 30th / Tuesday 31st / Wednesday 1st August / Thursday 2nd / Friday 3rd / Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th
Morning in Durban
Sally & Di arrive at 11:30am
Slide show by Paul Weinberg 12-1pm
Travel after lunch to St. LuciaBay
St. Lucia / Program arranged by Africa centre at Somkhele: 9:30-2pm
St. Lucia: free time
Group dinner at Lucia / Program/site visit arrange by Africa centre
Mid/late afternoon: social get-together with Hlabisa community
Stay over with families in Hlabisa / VisitHlabisaHospital
Return to St. Lucia
Afternoon: time off for site seeing / Time off for site seeing / Time off for site seeing
Week 4
July/Aug / Monday 30th / Tuesday 31st / Wednesday 1st August / Thursday 2nd
Return from Durban
Transport collect from airport at 21:30pm / Project preparation / Project preparation / Project presentation
LUNCH
Project presentation & evaluation of course
Evening: end of course party