WSU MEDICAL STUDENTS’ CONTRIBUTION ENHANCES HEALTH CARE IN EC

WSU medical students have contributed immensely to the enhancement of rural healthcare service delivery, thanks to the university’s Integrated Longitudinal Clinical Clerkship (ILCC) programme, which places fifth-year students in rural hospitals for twenty consecutive weeks.

Introduced in 2014, ILCC is a compulsory clinical training programme that exposes students to all-patient care, including independently consulting and managing patients, performing different medico-surgical procedures, and managing emergencies.

A study spearheaded by former WSU lecturer, Dr Lizo Godlimpi, alongside other researchers from the Public Health Department in the institution’s Faculty of medicine and Health Sciences, was undertaken to determine health professionals’ perceptions of the programme.

The study, titled “Health professionals’ perceptions of the WSU’s ILCC effect on service delivery in rural district hospitals in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa”, found that health professionals saw great value in ILCC.

“This study confirms that the WSU students, through the ILCC, improved health service delivery, stimulated academic interests of personnel, enhanced personnel’s clinical practices, contributed to proper patient care, and enhanced the quality of patients’ experiences at the facility,” said Onke Mnyaka, a researcher and lecturer in the WSU Department of Public Health.

Furthermore, Mnyaka added that the students’ presence prompted clinicians to brush up on their clinical knowledge, while practising greater proficiency during procedures to ensure that students were exposed to the correct techniques.

Due to national budget cuts, South Africa’s public health care system has in recent years been embattled with staff shortages, as well as an increased number of unemployed health professionals.

Unfortunately, rural hospitals and clinics have had to bear the brunt of these shortages, impacting the level and quality of service received by individual patients.

The WSU ILCC is strategically positioned to fill some of the gaps left by these challenges as it is spread across some of the most rural areas of the Eastern Cape, including hospitals such as Madzikane KaZulu Hospital (Mt Frere), St Patricks Hospital (Mbizana), Butterworth Hospital (Butterworth), All Saints Hospital (Engcobo) Settlers Hospital (Grahamstown); and Dr Malizo Mpehle Hospital (Tsolo).

“As desired, the WSU pre-final year students’ presence in the facilities assists in reducing the workload of rural health personnel. Thus, WSU’s ILCC approach provided a platform for medical education and served as a short-term mode of alleviating rural workforce challenges,” said Mnyaka.

Through the ILCC, WSU addressed goal three of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which speaks to good health and wellbeing, which includes a strengthened healthcare.

“The presence of WSU students in the hospitals contributes to improved quality of health service delivery. The fact that WSU has integrated community-based ILCC into the MBChB curriculum exemplifies social accountability. This alignment of educational goals with societal health needs contributes to addressing health disparities and prepares graduates dedicated to enhancing health outcomes in their communities,” Mnyaka said.

By Yanga Ziwele