See the published version of this article at BMC Health Services Research.
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Research article
Dumsani Mandla Gumede
University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Health Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8739-6033
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Health Services Research.
Background: The shortage of HCPs negatively affects health services in rural areas in many parts of the world, as is the case in South Africa. A NPO, the UYDF, initiated a programme designed to improve the health system in a rural area. It consisted of a scholarship and mentorship programme in 1999 for youth from the area to study for health science degrees on condition that they would take up a post at the hospital in their community once qualified.
Aims: This paper reports the perceptions and experiences of the students and graduates sponsored by the foundation, and those of managers from the facilities where the students were ultimately placed, in order to gauge whether such a programme can make a sustainable contribution to address the shortage of health personnel in rural areas and to what extent this is happening.
Methods: The study used qualitative methods. Students and senior health managers were interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth format, and graduates took part in focus group discussions at three hospitals, in different districts. The data were analyzed thematically.
Results: The students interviewed appreciated the financial and socio-emotional support that they received, and the graduates were appreciative that posts awaited them in their home community on completion of their studies. The managers reported the success of the programme in increasing the number of healthcare personnel at the hospitals, and the range of available medical services. Since the graduates are familiar with the language and culture of their patients the managers considered that they are better able to assist them.
Conclusion: The system was well thought-out and achieved its goal of improving health services in an underdeveloped rural area of South Africa. More could be achieved if other government services in the area were simultaneously improved and if the system were replicated elsewhere.
Keywords
Healthcare professionals, Non-Profit Organization, Improving Healthcare Systems, Rural Health, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Health Services Research. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Dumsani Mandla Gumede
University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Health Sciences
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8739-6033
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 1
Posted 26 Jun, 2020
Published
On 12 Mar, 2021
No community comments so far
Submission checks complete
On 25 Jun, 2020
Editor invited
On 25 Jun, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Health Services Research.
Background: The shortage of HCPs negatively affects health services in rural areas in many parts of the world, as is the case in South Africa. A NPO, the UYDF, initiated a programme designed to improve the health system in a rural area. It consisted of a scholarship and mentorship programme in 1999 for youth from the area to study for health science degrees on condition that they would take up a post at the hospital in their community once qualified.
Aims: This paper reports the perceptions and experiences of the students and graduates sponsored by the foundation, and those of managers from the facilities where the students were ultimately placed, in order to gauge whether such a programme can make a sustainable contribution to address the shortage of health personnel in rural areas and to what extent this is happening.
Methods: The study used qualitative methods. Students and senior health managers were interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth format, and graduates took part in focus group discussions at three hospitals, in different districts. The data were analyzed thematically.
Results: The students interviewed appreciated the financial and socio-emotional support that they received, and the graduates were appreciative that posts awaited them in their home community on completion of their studies. The managers reported the success of the programme in increasing the number of healthcare personnel at the hospitals, and the range of available medical services. Since the graduates are familiar with the language and culture of their patients the managers considered that they are better able to assist them.
Conclusion: The system was well thought-out and achieved its goal of improving health services in an underdeveloped rural area of South Africa. More could be achieved if other government services in the area were simultaneously improved and if the system were replicated elsewhere.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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