Share Care programme: Clinic by clinic, towards a better public health system

16 November 2011

With the Share Care Referral programme, the Anova Health Institute and the Department of Health have transformed Bishop Lavis clinic from a wellness facility into a fully accredited antiretroviral treatment (ART) site, in a bid to strengthen South Africa’s healthcare system.

Until recently the Western Cape clinic was classed as a community healthcare centre which ran a wellness programme but did not provide HIV-related services.

"Now the facility is ready to take the final step in becoming an ART site and the DoH will take the reins as of November 2011", explains Share Care project coordinator Marije van Schalkwyk.

The Share Care programme initially set up a 'skeleton' ART service at the clinic so that stable patients could collect their ARVs closer to home. This was achieved by means of a project nurse who visited the clinic 3 days a week bringing patients pre-packaged ARVs from the pharmacy at Tygerberg hospital.

Before the programme was implemented, these patients needed to travel to Tygerberg hospital to collect their treatment that is a considerable travelling distance for patients who are often cash-strapped.

That changed in June this year with the clinic’s transformation. The pharmacy was soon fully stocked and ready to dispense ART to patients on site and two nurses were appointed to attend to patients.

The appointment of a doctor in October 2011 was the final step in preparing the facility to become a DoH-run ART site.

Anova’s project nurse will now move on to spend more time at the most recent additions to the programme - the Elsiesrivier and Kasselsvlei clinics - extending essential services to even more ART patients.