The Centre for Social Sciences Research (CSSR) and the  Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa  (IDCPPA) at the University of Cape Town invite you to join us for a lunchtime seminar on 30 November 2023 at 12:45pm. The seminar will be presented by Dr Lesley Gittings and Luanne Hatane.

About the Seminar:

What do frontline providers of paediatric-adolescent HIV services need for empowering and supportive work environments?

Paediatric and adolescent HIV services are crucial to the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents living with HIV, and recent years have seen a call for their urgent improvement. Frontline health workers are responsible for delivering these services, yet less attention has been given to their contextual realities, challenges, and how to meaningfully engage multi-occupational groups of health workers in sharing their priorities. Data collected in 2022 at a convening of key service providers on the frontline of the paediatric-adolescent HIV response in twelve high HIV-burden African countries (eSwatini, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe). Participants (n=801) included nurses (n=192); doctors (n=103), peer supporters (n=129), community health workers (n=36); psychosocial support providers (n=109), and ‘others’ (programmers/NGO workers/researchers/government officials; n=232). Participants each completed a word association activity, followed by group concept-mapping to explore challenges, motivations, strengths and coping. Following this, each site completed a participatory preference-ranking exercise to identify priorities Data were transcribed and analysed thematically.

Speakers

Dr. Lesley Gittings is an Assistant Professor at Western University’s School of Health Studies in Canada, and an Honorary Research Associate with the University of Cape Town’s Adolescent Accelerators Research Hub, Centre for Social Science Research. Her research focuses on social and environmental determinants of HIV and sexual and reproductive health, and participatory and arts-based approaches for youth empowerment and well-being. She completed her master’s and doctorate at the University of Cape Town.

Luann Hatane is Executive Director at PATA (Paediatric Adolescent – Treatment Africa), with a background in social work and a master’s degree in development studies. She has extensive experience in leadership roles within national and regional organizations, serving as a program manager, capacity builder, rights defender, and civil society advocate. With a strong commitment to advancing access to comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment, and care services. Luann is known for her efforts and commitment to strengthening clinic-community collaboration for a more impactful HIV response in Africa.

 30 November 2023
 12:45 - 14:00 SAST
  CSSR Seminar Room, 4.29 Robert Leslie Social Science Building, UCT

Hosted by the Centre for Social Science Research and the Institute for Democracy, Citizenship and Public Policy in Africa