More than half of South Africans live in rural areas. This makes healthcare in these settings an ever-present concern and social challenge.
One initiative that addresses this need comes from a Dutch pulmonologist and his longstanding relationship with Stellenbosch University (SU).
It was approximately 30 years ago that Dr Stijn Mol received training at the Tygerberg Hospital. After numerous subsequent visits to South Africa, he felt the need to plough resources back into the country that afforded him many enriching opportunities. In 2001 he started the Holland Stellenbosch Medical Foundation (HSMF) with fellow pulmonologist Dr Maarten van Nierop. "The initial goal was to fund projects in the SU's Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health," explains Ms Lindsay-Michelle Meyer, coordinator of the HSMF project.
In 2006 the founders decided on a more focused approach, and in 2008 they launched a bursary programme aimed at students that showcased an interest in rural health and development of underserved communities. What started off as a single bursary award has grown to giving 12 students a bursary of R70 000 each in 2016.
Rulanda Pretorius, a fourth-year physiotherapy student, says without the bursary she wouldn't have been able to complete her community training in Worcester this year. For her the biggest challenges in rural communities are service delivery and follow-up visits. "Strokes due to diabetes and hypertension is common, but often patients only get seen by a physiotherapist months after the event," she explains.
Dr Jasper van Zyl was a recipient of the HSMF bursary in 2012 and is now a medical officer in Psychiatry at the Worcester Hospital. He agrees that patient load and a lack of staff put pressure on the healthcare professionals and influences the quality of service. "Patients in rural settings have problems which can be addressed by a team of professionals. But if there is no time, no attention can be given to such problems." He hopes that even more opportunities will be made available for health professionals in rural areas to allow for better quality of service to the community.
Natasha du Preez is a final-year dietetics student and 2016 bursary recipient. She hopes to do educational work in underserved areas. Her passion for rural settings lies in becoming a part of the community and building relationships so that the small things you teach patients can spread to friends and family. "Wonderful changes can happen through small steps."
For more information on the HSMF-bursaries, send an email to Lindsay-Michelle Meyer at lindsaym@sun.ac.za
