Page 117 - SAMRC Annual Report 2024-2025

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Health Services to
Systems Research Unit

Unit director:
Prof. Helen Schneider
hschneider@uwc.ac.za

Advancing Research Priorities: Building Capacity Through
Strategic Objectives and Impact Training, Mentorship, and Support

The Health Services to Systems Research Unit Profs George and Schneider supervised seven
completed the review of the Western Cape's doctoral, three post-doctoral and five masters
Healthcare 2030 Strategy, a whole system evaluation students. Three masters completed their degrees in
jointly with UCT and WC Dept Health & Wellness; the period.
completed the problem definition phase of co-
design of a district Systems Leadership Development Prof Schneider successfully handed over her
Programme, in North-West Province. role in leading the SOPH doctoral programme
during 2024/25. She also supported the Faculty
Gender-transformative approaches to address root of Community and Health Sciences in designing a
causes of poor sexual, reproductive and maternal strategy for supporting early-career researchers.
health outcomes (GT4Africa)., together with
coordinated implementation research projects in Navigating the Impact of US
seven countries. Executive Orders on Funding

Key Milestones and Achievements Not directly, but many of our graduates and students
The Unit hosted the first in-person writing workshop are based in US-funded initiatives across the African
continent and have lost jobs or research funding.
for the GT4Africa Cohort in September 2024 in
Cape Town involving thirteen institutions across the
African continent. Research Translation Through Arts
and Science
As part of the HC2030 Strategy Review, we hosted a
national workshop on Community Oriented Primary The COPC workshop referred to above utilised a
Care in August 2024 in Cape Town, involving ~50 'graphic harvester' to capture the proceedings:
decision-makers, researchers and practitioners. Available at https://soph.uwc.ac.za/news/copc-
Additionally, the unit convened the secretariat of workshop-report/
the South African Learning Alliance for the District
Health System (SALAD), a national learning network
of decision-makers (national and provincial) and
higher education institutions coordinating multiple
activities (webinars, special series in the SAMJ,
annual retreat).

COPC graphic harvest.

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