Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic

Context: Because of the extent of the HIV pandemic, but also due to some specific historical conditions, HIV medicine has evolved as a field of its own in South African medicine. With the massive scale of the roll-out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in South Africa, the need to devolve ARV roll-out i...

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Main Author: Dirk T. Hagemeister
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2009-12-01
Series:South African Family Practice
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Online Access:https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1284
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author Dirk T. Hagemeister
author_facet Dirk T. Hagemeister
author_sort Dirk T. Hagemeister
collection DOAJ
description Context: Because of the extent of the HIV pandemic, but also due to some specific historical conditions, HIV medicine has evolved as a field of its own in South African medicine. With the massive scale of the roll-out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in South Africa, the need to devolve ARV roll-out into primary health care (PHC) services is currently being discussed. Family medicine was recognised in South Africa as a specialist qualification in August 2007 and is still undergoing an exciting process of defining its content and future role in the community of medical specialities. The South African approach to family medicine focuses strongly on the role of the family physician in the PHC setting at district hospitals and in PHC facilities within the South African district health framework. Objectives: The objectives of this article are to discuss the relation between family medicine and the field of HIV medicine. Key message: Family medicine in the South African context is the clinical discipline most suitable to house HIV medicine. The projected future of the ARV roll-out parallels the structures necessary for the care of (other) chronic conditions in the PHC setting, and the clinical governance for this health care delivery lies in the hands of family medicine. Thus HIV medicine should be regarded and developed as part of family medicine. Conclusion: For the future development of family medicine, it is a natural and necessary step to incorporate HIV care. The field of HIV care as a professional area will benefit from being part of a recognised clinical speciality. Training for the treatment of HIV/AIDS will have to be included as an integral part of the registrar programme in family medicine.
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spelling doaj-art-14defbb4597e49608d0599fcc8a5ca852025-08-20T03:07:10ZengAOSISSouth African Family Practice2078-61902078-62042009-12-0151610.1080/20786204.2009.108739091132Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemicDirk T. Hagemeister0Stellenbosch UniversityContext: Because of the extent of the HIV pandemic, but also due to some specific historical conditions, HIV medicine has evolved as a field of its own in South African medicine. With the massive scale of the roll-out of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) in South Africa, the need to devolve ARV roll-out into primary health care (PHC) services is currently being discussed. Family medicine was recognised in South Africa as a specialist qualification in August 2007 and is still undergoing an exciting process of defining its content and future role in the community of medical specialities. The South African approach to family medicine focuses strongly on the role of the family physician in the PHC setting at district hospitals and in PHC facilities within the South African district health framework. Objectives: The objectives of this article are to discuss the relation between family medicine and the field of HIV medicine. Key message: Family medicine in the South African context is the clinical discipline most suitable to house HIV medicine. The projected future of the ARV roll-out parallels the structures necessary for the care of (other) chronic conditions in the PHC setting, and the clinical governance for this health care delivery lies in the hands of family medicine. Thus HIV medicine should be regarded and developed as part of family medicine. Conclusion: For the future development of family medicine, it is a natural and necessary step to incorporate HIV care. The field of HIV care as a professional area will benefit from being part of a recognised clinical speciality. Training for the treatment of HIV/AIDS will have to be included as an integral part of the registrar programme in family medicine.https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1284family physiciansfamily practicemedical specialitieshaarthiv medicinesouth africa
spellingShingle Dirk T. Hagemeister
Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
South African Family Practice
family physicians
family practice
medical specialities
haart
hiv medicine
south africa
title Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
title_full Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
title_fullStr Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
title_full_unstemmed Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
title_short Family medicine, primary health care and HIV medicine — a ‘new’ clinical speciality and its role in the South African HIV pandemic
title_sort family medicine primary health care and hiv medicine a new clinical speciality and its role in the south african hiv pandemic
topic family physicians
family practice
medical specialities
haart
hiv medicine
south africa
url https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/1284
work_keys_str_mv AT dirkthagemeister familymedicineprimaryhealthcareandhivmedicineanewclinicalspecialityanditsroleinthesouthafricanhivpandemic