Today the clinical members of the GSK team had a very productive day, when we each had the opportunity to spend the morning with a nurse in the clinic in Munsieville. The clinic was very crowded and we estimate about 200 patients are seen per day. Between 9:00 and 12:30 we saw 30-40 patients in each area - child immunisations, TB/HIV/family planning, primary care and chronic disease management. The clinic opens around 8:00 and the patients begin lining up outside to be seen around 6:30 am. There is no doctor present on Wednesdays and the professional nurses (who have 4 years training) function in a very similar way to nurse practitioners in the UK. They take a detailed history, do a focused exam, diagnose, and dispense medications according to national guidelines. We were very impressed by their knowledge, dedication, and abilities. There is clearly a lack of space and resources. They have little time to spend with each patient, but do a great job with what they have. We identified some areas for improvement, for example in efficient use of administrative staff and nursing assistants, infection control, and health promotion/patient education. We are excited about the relationships we formed today and look forward to learning from the nurses we met, as well as hopefully making some useful suggestions.
Check back soon for more updates from our visit to South Africa.
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