Public Health Education, Liaison and Advocacy (PHELA) Project. NPO Reg. No: 088-215
Mission
To improve the health outcomes by enhancing the quality of life of people who live with long-term chronic conditions, through patient education programmes and facilitated support groups. We believe that 90% of treatment and management of chronic conditions is dependent on patients’ knowledge and self efficacy. Aim PHELA’ s primary aim is to reduce the rising morbidity, disability and mortality as well as to improve the health outcomes of people who live with long term chronic conditions particularly diabetes, hypertension, asthma and related co-morbidities, in the previously disadvantaged and low socio-economic classes of society Objectives To provide patients with knowledge, skills, self – efficacy in managing their chronic condition To offer long term support to patients so they can assume an active role in their treatment To enable patients to reduce treatment costs and hospital visits To help patients reduce dependency on the public health system To strengthen the public health system by supporting the capacity of health professionals To undertaking activities which improve awareness of chronic conditions in society |
Challenge of chronic conditions
There is a rising incidence, morbidity and mortality which relates to long-term chronic health conditions like Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Asthma, stroke and other lifestyle related conditions in the lower economic classes and previously disadvantaged sectors of the South African population. Ignorance, apathy, poverty and lack of agency are personal and social factors which facilitate the incidence and morbidity rates of chronic diseases in the vulnerable population. Additionally, rising costs of drugs, consultation fees, waiting times, transport, Doctor-patient ratios are factors which make health services inaccessible and ineffective to patients. PHELA was founded to mitigate the above stated public health challenges by; • enhancing the self efficacy of patients through education, awareness and support • improving public and patients’ participation and involvement in health programmes and health policy, • and to promote health and strengthen health systems through input in forums, networks in public and private structures through liaison and advocacy. Three pronged intervention model • PHELA runs a facilitated 5- week patient education programme on chronic conditions . • Patients are enrolled in a facilitated local long-term ‘patient support groups • PHELA represents the views of patients in local, regional and national health services to influence policy and services on their behalf. • Additionally, PHELA will provide a communication platform through print, web, mobile phone between health stakeholders and patients. |