UCT in Eden a class act

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GEORGE NEWS - The University of Cape Town's (UCT) Health Sciences Department is expanding its footprint in Eden.

Next year, 20 of their medical students will be spending their final year at the George Hospital.

This is double the current number and it will be the third year that some students spend their sixth and final year of study in George.

The UCT in Eden project kicked off a few years ago when the national health ministry urged universities to produce more medical doctors.

A UCT delegation under the leadership of Prof Bongani Mayosi addressed business leaders and medical professionals at Fancourt on Thursday evening, and Mayosi said the UCT in Eden project is reaping rewards for both the university and the region.

"There are many benefits to the region. The students are involved in service delivery while being supported by consultants. This also benefits staff at the hospitals in Eden."

The students spend their year as interns who join clinical teams and enhance service delivery while gaining experience. The project hopes to entice doctors to the rural areas.

The number of students is set to increase to 40 by 2020 and UCT in Eden will then also include the Oudtshoorn, Mossel Bay, Knysna and Beaufort West hospitals.

Finance

Keeping the students in George costs between R6-million and R7-million per year. Dr Russel Ally, director of UCT alumni and development, said UCT in Eden is a great success story, but fundraising is no longer a 'nice-to-have'. "Fundraising is imperative to maintain the project as well as the university's academic standard. One of the things that distinguishes UCT is that much of our exciting work is rooted in the community. UCT in Eden is a flagship project of our overarching effort, 'Distinguishing UCT'." He asked that Georgians support the project. "We would like to encourage donors to fund one or more students on an annual basis. The cost per student per year is R250 000. This covers tuition, accommodation, staffing and operation costs." Ally thanked the Hasso Plattner Institute for their generous support.

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Growing

A similar model will soon be introduced in the district in the fields of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy and audiology. The initiative is led by the faculty of health sciences, but will be expanded to other faculties. It will include research projects, the UCT summer school and other extra-curricular activities.

UCT has long been involved in Eden. Under the auspices of Isisombululo - an HIV/Aids care, prevention and treatment project - 110 home-based carers in Thembalethu have been trained, field workers are giving support, various partnerships with service organisations have been formed to facilitate the roll out of ARVs, and the Kuyasa (New Dawn) Clinic in Zone 9 opened in 2014.

A Youth and Science centre in Thembalethu should be completed within a month. The plan is to create a "rural pipeline" of students through support at high school level. This will hopefully increase the number of medical students from Eden and also enhance their chances of success.

To get involved in UCT in Eden or to make a donation, e-mail deidre.adams@uct.ac.za or phone 021 650 4142.

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