Italian Cooperation in KwaZulu-Natal

During the following years up to 1996, the Italian Government provided specialists (Anesthesiologists, Pediatricians, Surgeons, Gynecologists) to reinforce the services rendered in a number of Referral Hospitals in KZN (especially in Ngwelezana).

In 1996, after the advent of Democracy, a new phase of the Italian collaboration was conceived and agreements for the upgrading of the Public Health were settled between the new Department of Health and Italian Government.

Thus a first Project :” Multisectorial Support to Primary Health Care in KwaZulu-Natal” was drawn, its activities commencing in 1999; the project ended in 2003. In the same year a second project, supporting Health Information Systems and  the Mother and Child Program commenced. A third Project supporting Planning Capacity Building at Provincial and District (Umzinyathi) level commenced in October 2004.

• Training of nurses, focusing especially on the rural areas
• Improvement in neonatal care
• Introduction of a managerial and supervisory system to upgrade primary health care organisations
• Statistical data collection in the area of epidemiology

Available resources provided by the Italian Cooperation:

• Total budget of 2.840.000 Euros
• One Italian medical consultant seconded to the Department of Health for a period of 36 months, a consultant (Epidemiologist) seconded for 24 months, another consultant (professional trainer) seconded for 30 months.

Second Project:  Support to Health Information System and Mother and Child Health Programme (commenced in 2003) for a 3 year period.
This project aims to capitalize on previous results and is aiming to:

• Enhance health sector organization and planning through integration of collection and interpretation of data
• Special attention is dedicated to the improvement of referral systems in order to render specialised services in remote areas with available resources (Tele Health, Outreach System)

Available resources provided by the Italian Cooperation:

• Total budget of 1.579.975 Euros
• Two Italian consultants seconded to the Department of Health (1 project leader and 1 Epidemiologist)

Third Project: Support to planning capacity at Provincial level and in the District of Umzinyathi. (commenced in 2004)
Main Objectives of the Project:

• Contribute to the Department of Health's Head Office and the Distict of Umzinyathi development of management and planning skills
• Contribution to the upgrading of the services rendered in Umzinyathi by means of training of health personnel and support towards the building of new health facilities

Available resources provided by the Italian Cooperation and the Italian Health Institute (Rome)

• Total budget of 2.127.452 Euros
• One Italian management consultant seconded to the Department of Health for a period of 24 months, another consultant seconded at the pilot Health District of Umzinyathi for a period of 24 months.  Further financial and technical support by the Italian National Health Institute.

Statistical  data collection in the area of epidemiology: Epidemiological Database | Epidemiological Bulletins
 

This web site showcases the Italian Government development cooperation activity in KwaZulu-Natal in the field of health. All our Projects have been  implemented in conjunction and in collaboration with the Department of  Health of KwaZulu-Natal. We would like to thank Minister Deodato, Director General for Development Cooperation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Prof. Green-Thompson, Director General of the Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal.

We acknowledge the continuous assistance of our colleagues within the Department of Health in KZN, namely Mrs Noel Phillips and Dr. T. Govender, Director of Epidemiology and Health Indicators Unit, Mr. V. Magaqa, Director of Informatics and Mrs.Janet Dalton, Head of the M.C.W.H. Program.

Our thanks extend to our task managers in Italy ,namely Dr. E.Missoni, Dr.A. Bortolan, Dr.P.Procacci, Mrs.Edda Zanon and Mrs.M.C.Pescante, whose technical support have been invaluable, the Consul of Italy in  Durban Mr. A. Prunas for his constant support to our Projects and  Dr. S. Brusin, Project Leader of the Italian Cooperation Health Projects in Gauteng.

We thank the Web Administrator Kathryn Potgieter for making this page possible and the G.I.S. Staff S. Rushworth, C. Samuel and N. Ramcoomar for their assistance.

This text is edited by Dr. A. Silvestri.

Site last edited on 09 April, 2008 

Information on this page submitted by Dr A Silvestri, Italian Project Leader
For further information about the Italian Cooperation, please go to www.italcoop.org.za

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