Training of healthcare workers 2012
We would like to introduce you to Steve Letsike who taken the role of Training Manager for Health4Men.
Steve describes herself as a feminist, an activist for gay rights and a defender of human and women’s rights. She is the chairperson of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) Women’s Sector and the interim chairperson of SANAC’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) Sector. Steve was voted one of 300 Young South Africans you should take for lunch by mail and Guardian in 2009. She previously worked for the Department of Social Development, OUT LGBT Well-Being and Open Society for Southern Africa. Steve is currently completing a BA degree specialising in development studies.
Health4Men through Anova Health Institute have a robust approach to training and capacity building for health care providers and facilities to ensure innovation that leads to integration of appropriate and affirmative services for MSM (men who have sex with men) population. The development of the Health4Men training model is an approach that identifies the shift from a traditional, instructor-led to a group-based training approach that will lead to a self-paced structured approach that will be easy to transition through the mentorship process that is integrated within the model. Managers, Supervisors, nurses and general staff will have knowledge about generic sensitization information and specific medical information. This intervention is to prepare for competency in dealing with MSM issues and to be able to apply the new knowledge and skills on return to the work setting in health care facilities.
Our expertise focus on developing training and technical assistance on MSM issues, sexuality and gender-based issues will be shared in four different levels based on facility needs. Training will be disseminated in the levels of targeted facility based, mainstreaming, peer education, and master classes. Health4Men’s approach is a national approach, with five provinces (namely Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and Western Cape) as a priority for now depending on the need to upscale then we will be able to cover the rest in all nine provinces to implement a successful and sustainable structured training approach in the country.
Health4Men training model of health care providers and facility training is adopted to fit in and increase competency and capacity for appropriate and affirmative services for MSM population that is linked to the implementation of the South Africa’s National Strategic plan 2012-2016 and international commitments that South Africa has ratified. It is a core concept of Anova Health Institute’s goal of supporting public health care initiatives that makes a different and that continue innovatively to ensure access to health for all. And it is by ensuring that contexts of comfort are created for MSM population.
Plans are under way to commence training of healthcare workers in various provinces – Mpumalanga, Soweto and Bellville and Paarl in the Western Cape – to mention but a few.
More details to follow in the very near future, so watch this space.
If you do have any enquiries in the meantime pertaining to the upcoming training courses you can make contact with Steve on 011 715 5808 or 073 435 6501 .
