Limpopo Leader - Spring 2005 - University of Limpopo

end of the life of OIP early in
2007, a large meeting for
representatives from the whole of
Southern Africa is being planned
with the express purpose of
extending SAVIC services into the
rest of the continent. ‘Already, our
website carries reports and
research results from other African
countries,’ she adds.
The SAVIC website, which is
populated and managed at
Medunsa campus by Turflooptrained
medical scientist
Avhashoni Tshatsinde, came
on-stream a few months ago, and
carries high-quality information on
preventable diseases, on the EPI
programme and on related
research topics.
‘Our website,’ says Burnett,
who holds a Masters in Public
Health and lectures in
epidemiology at the National
School of Public Health (NSPH)
on the Medunsa campus, ‘aims to
be the prime source of
information for promoting
awareness of vaccine-preventable
diseases, supporting local and
regional immunisation initiatives,
and promoting the use and
benefits of vaccines. It’s an
invaluable tool. But that’s not all
we do.’
Research is currently being
undertaken in health systems
management and policy, and a
behavioural and social study is
Avhashoni Tshatsinde
examining the nature of resistance
to immunisation by some mothers
and communities. On the curriculum
development side, work has
already been completed on a
postgraduate diploma in the control
of infectious diseases, as well
as a Masters in Public Health that
will concentrate on the same field.
As Burnett says: ‘We want to
produce health graduates at the
University of Limpopo and elsewhere
who are up-to-date with
what is being practised in the EPI
clinics.’
SAVIC, which incorporates the
OIP, has established several subcommittees
to look at such specialinterest
areas as behavioural
sciences (led by Dr Kebogile
Mokwena, Acting Dean of the
NSPH); health systems management
and policy (led by Enoch Peprah,
Dean of Academic Affairs at
NSPH); curriculum development
(led by Baile Selaledi, a lecturer
in nursing science); and epidemiology
(led by Dr Mphahlele). Other
prominent Medunsa campus
academics involved on the SAVIC
committees include Professor
Gboyega Ogunbanjo, Deputy
Dean (Research) in the powerful
Faculty of Medicine, Professor
Hoosen, and Professor Andries
Gous from the School of Pharmacy.
To find out more about SAVIC
log on to:
http://www.savic.ac.za.
EXPANDED
PROGRAMME OF
IMMUNISATION (EPI) IN
SOUTH AFRICA
Here are the details of what every
child in the country is entitled to,
and can receive free of charge at
any public health clinic.
At birth:
• BCG by intradermal injection
• OPV by oral drops
At 6 weeks:
• OPV by oral drops
• DTP + Hib by injection to left thigh
• Hepatitis B by injection to right thigh
At 10 weeks:
• OPV by oral drops
• DTP + Hib by injection to left thigh
• Hepatitis B by injection to right thigh
At 14 weeks:
• OPV by oral drops
• DTP + Hib by injection to left thigh
• Hepatitis B by injection to right thigh
At 9 months:
• Measles by injection to right thigh
At 18 months:
• OPV by oral drops
• DTP by injection to left arm
• Measles by injection to right arm
At five years:
• OPV by oral drops
• DT by injection to left arm
BCG = Bacilli Calmete-Guerin
(administered to immunise against tuberculosis)
OPV = Oral polio vaccine
DTP = Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis
(whooping cough)
DT = Diphtheria and tetanus
Hib = Haemophilus influenzae type b
P A G E 2 3