title: Can a new paediatric sub-specialty improve child health in South Africa?
abstract: Compared with other middle-income countries, child health in South Africa is in a poor state, and should be addressed by focusing on the health care needs of all children across a system or region. Paediatricians have had little effect on this situation, partly because their training is not aligned with South African needs. The proposed re-engineering of primary health care will be limited by the skewed distribution of staff and the lack of suitable skills. A 'community' placement during specialist training, and the creation of a sub-specialty in Community Paediatrics and Child Health, could address the skills shortage and possibly attract health personnel to under-served areas through creating an appropriate career path. This proposal would also support the Department of Health's encouraging plans to re-engineer primary health care.
authors.affiliation: University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. george.swingler@uct.ac.za
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Swingler
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hendricks
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McKerrow
authors.forename: Haroon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saloojee
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013019:South Africa