The three-year programme will produce a cadre of health professionals who will work mainly in community health centres and district hospitals.
It will see the department working together with medical schools to produce mid-level health workers within the context and guidelines of the schools and Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) qualified to perform physical examinations, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, interpreting findings and formulating a diagnosis for common and emergency conditions.
The department said in a statement the programme is not a replacement of any existing medical training offered in the universities, but aimed at enabling the universities to produce increased numbers of health workers and thus adding to the pool and diversity of the country's health work force.
The programme was conceived after a long process of consultations and extensive international studies.
It started in January 2008 and is currently being offered at Walter Sisulu University (former University of Transkei) and Universities of Pretoria.
It will commence at the Universities of the Witwatersrand and Limpopo (MEDUNSA) next year.
The decision to introduce a cadre of mid-level workers in the country was taken at the National Health Council in December 2002.
Announcing the establishment of the programme at the 2008 Donor Consultation Forum in June, Minister Tshabalala-Msimang said the programme was made possible by several donors who responded positively to her call for assistance to help establish the clinical associates programme.
"It is assistance of this nature that is critical to strengthening the ability to meet the goals of development and improving the overall quality of life of our people.
“We need assistance that is aimed at supporting national priorities and closing the resource gaps in an effort to improve the health and well-being of our people," the minister said.
Upon completion of three year Bachelor Degree, a Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice (B.CMP) qualification, the clinical associates will be registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa with a defined scope of practice.
They will be able assess patients, make a diagnosis, treat and prescribe appropriate therapy and undertake minor surgical procedures under the supervision of medical officers.
The department said that the clinical training will be conducted in district hospitals and affiliated facilities in line with the strategy of strengthening primary healthcare amongst others.
“Scope of practice is defined by the context and requirements of district hospitals with focus on emergency care, skilled clinical procedure and in-patient care.
South Africa has also reserved 5 percent of training spaces for individuals from SADC countries, to train as medical doctors since many Southern African Development Community member states have little in the way of tertiary and quaternary health services, said the Minister.
The programme is funded by partners including the Department for International Development, Coega Development Corporation, European Union and World Health Organisation.
The department funds the programme through the provision of bursaries covering tuition and student books amongst others.
Article published courtesy of BuaNews
