A shortage of nurses
The school, based in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, is one of a number of privately owned nursing colleges that have opened up in recent years in a bid to address the shortage of qualified nurses in South Africa. According to the Human Resources for Health Strategy, launched by the Minister of Health in 2012, there is a shortage of some 8000 nursing assistants and 20,000 staff nurses.
Medscheme CEO, André Meyer, says the group's investment in the college reflects its support for government's 10-point plan to transform the country's healthcare system and improve access to affordable healthcare.
Medscheme's objective in supporting privately owned nursing institutions is to increase the number of qualified nursing staff entering the healthcare system, over and above those produced by government institutions. "We believe that initiatives of this nature will go a long way in contributing to government's priorities in addressing the severe shortage of healthcare personnel in South Africa," Meyer says.
"We are delighted to be involved in a project of this nature, which demonstrates the role the private sector can play in contributing towards government's efforts to transform the country's healthcare system. Nurses are the cornerstone of primary healthcare in South Africa and we believe that our support for Khanyisa and similar projects will go a long way to ensure that colleges produce competent nurses who are well-equipped to meet the health needs within their communities," says Meyer.
The SA healthcare system faces challenges which are compounded by the country's historical legacy. SA's healthcare spend is significantly greater than any other African country, and exceeds that of certain developing countries on other continents, yet this is not evident in health outcomes.
"As a healthcare company, we believe that we should harness the extensive experience we have gained through 42 years of operation and become involved in projects that are aligned with the advancement of government's strategic 10-point plan and National Health Insurance for transforming the healthcare industry in South Africa," Meyer says.
Medscheme supports a number of other similar projects across the country, including Future Nurses Nursing School in Germiston, and Ithemba Nursing Academy in Eersterust, Pretoria.
To date, the company's support for Khanyisa Nursing School has involved rebuilding a much-needed training facility, which includes classrooms, a practical demonstration room, bathrooms and a kitchen. In addition, Medscheme has donated practical training equipment and will furnish the new training facility.
Each year, Khanyisa educates more than 200 students studying towards a range of nursing qualifications. The school offers a basic one-year programme for training as an enrolled nurse auxiliary; a second-year programme for training as an enrolled nurse; and a two-year bridging programme for training as a registered nurse.
The campuses are deliberately located in areas that are easily accessible to people from previously disadvantaged communities, and a significant number of Khanyisa students are black people from rural areas.
It is hoped that Medscheme's investment will help the school to increase the number of students it enrols, improve the quality of teaching, and increase the number of courses it is accredited to provide.
Meyer notes that the theme for this year's International Nurses Day, celebrated around the world this week, is "Closing the Gap: Millennium Development Goals 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1". "Khanyisa Nursing School is doing precisely that, and we at Medscheme look forward to a long and fruitful partnership with the school," he concludes.
