SUMMARY:

Health Science Academy (HSA) is a new FY 2007 PEPFAR partner. HSA will increase access and the

availability of safe and effective drug treatment through human resource development, with a specific

emphasis of pharmacists and pharmacist assistants. HSA aims to substantially increase the number of

South African healthcare workers with the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to support substantial

rollout of antiretroviral treatment (ART). The major emphasis areas are human capacity development and

local organization capacity building. The primary target population for this project is healthcare

professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists and pharmacist assistants, as well as community-

based healthcare workers and caregivers.

BACKGROUND:

HSA is a South African training institution, accredited with the South African Pharmacy Council, providing

training in the pharmaceutical sector. HSA is a training provider to the National Department of Health

(NDOH), provincial Departments of Health and the pharmacy profession in the private sector. PEPFAR

funding will be utilized to scale up the existing HSA training activities. The project will be implemented on a

national and provincial level, and will expand on the already existing relationship between HSA and the

National Department of Health and respective provincial human resource departments. The proposed

training programs have already been developed and this, in conjunction with the existing NDOH contracts,

will allow the proposed training to be fast-tracked. In line with HSA's past practice, learners will be recruited

with an emphasis on gender and racial representation and will give preference to women wanting to register

for the national qualification, providing increased access to income for this group.

ACTIVITIES AND EXPECTED RESULTS:

The project will deal predominantly with the training of healthcare professionals in the public sector in order

to increase capacity, enhance the skills of existing staff and increase the number of skilled staff available.

In addition the project will also attempt to leverage existing private sector pharmacists in the provision of

adherence counseling for patients on ART and expand the role of community workers. The overall goals of

these training activities are: 1) increased ability in the public sector to dispense antiretroviral drugs (ARV); 2)

increased access to HIV care and treatment; 3) increased capacity in the public sector to adequately

manage the supply chain; and 4) improved adherence support in the provision of adherence counseling,

monitoring and evaluation. The following training courses will be offered:

ACTIVITY 1: Adherence Counseling

This activity will increase the role of the pharmacist and pharmacist assistant in both the public and private

sector with respect to counseling and monitoring of adherence to treatment regimens. The training is

offered as a competency-based training course facilitated by a two day workshop. Workshops will be

offered in each province and will be available to both the public and private sector (e.g. NGOs, FBOs,

private clinics, etc.) providing HIV care and treatment services.

ACTIVITY 2: Supply Chain Management

This activity deals specifically with drug supply management and will improve the capacity of the public

sector in providing access to safe and effective drug treatment through good distribution practices. The

program will enhance the skill of existing staff in the public sector, such as nurses, pharmacists and other

personnel involved in the procurement and supply of medicines. The course is offered as a competency-

based training course facilitated by a two day workshop. Workshops will be offered in each province along

with the option to do cascade training at a provincial level.

ACTIVITY 3: Dispensing

This activity deals with the provision of dispensing training for all authorized prescribes in the public sector

as specified by the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act 101 of 1965. This is a distance learning

program that will provide healthcare providers in under-serviced areas access to the training, specifically

clinic nurses who require a dispensing license in order to dispense in ARV clinics. A half day orientation

workshop is offered to nurses and doctors in the public sector who are registered in this course.

ACTIVITY 4: Pharmacist Assistants

This activity will train pharmacist assistants on a national qualification accredited by the South African

Pharmacy Council, based on unit standards in line with the regulated scope of practice of a pharmacist's

assistant. This activity will increase the pool of pharmacist assistants available to the public sector ART

programs by training people living with HIV and other school leavers as pharmacist assistants. This activity

requires that learners be employed in a pharmacy for on-the-job skills training and includes modular

assessment of the learner. Workshops will be made available for groups requiring additional training or

tutoring.

ACTIVITY 5: Community-Based Care for People Living with HIV

This activity will train a core group of community health workers as ancillary health workers offering

community-based care for people living with HIV. Particular emphasis will be placed on extending the role

of the community-based health worker with regard to pharmacological aspects of ART such as monitoring

adverse effects and compliance. The training program provides a national certificate and comprises

practical onsite skills training facilitated by workshops.

Study material for all the activities has been developed by leading experts in relevant specialties and the

course content is continually updated and refined to meet the needs of the individuals being trained.

Health Sciences Academy will introduce two new courses from clent request: Comprehensive HIV and

AIDS Care, Management and Treatment (CCMT) and Pharmacovigilance. In addition, further trainings will

be given in supply chain management. These courses will have to be revised to meet the criteria of the

Activity Narrative: Council forHigher Education.

The above activities address the 2-7-10 PEPFAR goals by developing capacity with regard to supply chain

logistics and pharmaceutical management to improve the quality of ART services.