The objective of RHRU’s HIV Management Cluster is to support the public sector to ensure access for all South Africans to quality HIV care. All our projects are geared towards building public sector capacity to respond to the HIV epidemic. Current activities consist of the provision of technical assistance, training and development of innovative models of service delivery that are appropriate for the South African context. Technical assistance activities include conducting targeted evaluation, operational research and the dissemination of better practice for the purposes of policy development, replication of successful interventions, and the expansion of the knowledge base relating to HIV. 

This strong working relationship with the Department of Health at a strategic and on-site level, and subsequent depth of understanding of the public health landscape informs our progressive, proactive and innovative training programme.

Our current training portfolio reflects the core areas of expertise within the cluster ie clinical HIV management and health systems strengthening.  Examples of capacity building innovation offered include:

• The Clinical HIV Management Course is a regionally recognised capacity building intervention for doctors providing care, treatment and support to HIV positive patients
• The Comprehensive HIV Management course for nurses, not only provides training of the highest quality but also assesses participant competency in initiating and managing patients
• Strengthening Integrated, Quality HIV Services provides decision makers from facility managers to regional co-rdinators with the know-how and tools to identify gaps in services, implement and monitor action plans using proven quality improvement methodologies
• The HIV Fast Track Scholarship is a nine month intensive experiential learning  programme for junior doctors covering all aspects of HIV treatment and care

Our training team
The HIV Management Cluster Gauteng/North West has a dedicated training team who, with support from colleagues working with public sector clinics, develops, implements and evaluates the training programme.  Facilitators are also drawn from the HIV Management Cluster’s wealth of experts with practical, on the ground experience adding depth and value to each course.    

Approach
RHRU courses are interactive and case based using methodologies appropriate for each target group.  Our practical approach places emphasis on transferring learning to the workplace, improving services and ultimately the care and treatment received by patients.

Location
RHRU offers state of the art training facilities at our head office in Johannesburg.  We also have the flexibility to facilitate courses across Gauteng and the North West Province.

Accreditation
RHRU is part of the University of the Witwatersrand and our short courses are registered with the Faculty of Health Sciences. The Clinical HIV Management course for doctors is also endorsed by the College of Medicine SA. RHRU is in the process of becoming accredited as a training provider.

For further information on courses currently offered by RHRU or to discuss your learning needs, e-mail us at training@wrhi.ac.za