 |
Partners' Directory |
| Home Search Join the Partnership Login | |
| Contact | General | Specializations in Countries | Contribution to the Global Plan | Declaration |
View this partner's profile
Organization Contact Information | |
| Name: | Divine Health Forum NPC |
| Street 1: | 51 Rockdale Avenue |
| Street 2: | Westville |
| City: | Durban |
| Province: | KwaZulu-Natal |
| Post Code: | 3629 |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Phone: | +27844506520 |
| Organization Email: | admin@dhf.org.za |
| Web Site: | http://www.dhf.org.za |
| Other Online Presence: | |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General Information | |
| Board Constituency: | None |
| Is your organization legally registered in your country: | Yes |
| If yes, please enter your registration number: | 2019/290623/08 |
| Organization Type - Primary: | Non-Governmental Organization |
| Organization Type - Secondary: | Community-Based Organization (CBO) |
| Organization Description: | |
| Divine Health Forum, also known as “DHF” is a non-profit organization that was established in 2019, to perform humanitarian and relief work in the community. The vision of the organization is to serve people, by providing services and goods, which contribute to the improved lives of all South Africans. The mission of Divine Health Forum NPC is to facilitate strategic partnerships in the business, healthcare, public and private sector to improve the lives of all South Africans. DHF aims to provide the correct and most relevant information to communities, on various health issues and provide health educational tools to these communities. DHF and THN aims to educate people on the basics of HIV/AIDS, TB, contact tracing of patients diagnosed with TB, screening for TB, preventative therapy, side effects of anti-TB medicine and anti-retroviral, drug-drug interactions and adherence support strategies such as adherence clubs. DHF and THN has facilitated various community awareness programmes, and outreach events, throughout South Africa, whereby relevant and important information about TB, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, hypertension, teenage pregnancy, COVID-19 and other communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as Gender Based Violence and Self-Defense are shared. |
|
| Do you know about the UNHLM declaration: | Yes |
Specializations / Areas of Work | |
|
Advocacy Civil Society and Community Engagement Engaging political leaders and ensuring inclusive leadership Research and Development Working on Community, Rights and Gender (CRG) Working on Key Populations related to TB |
Other Organization Information | |
| Total number of staff in your organization: | 6 - 10 |
| Number of full-time staff who are directly involved with TB: | 1 - 5 |
| Number of part-time staff who are directly involved with TB: | 6 - 10 |
| Number of volunteers who are directly involved with TB: | 1 - 5 |
| How did you hear about the Stop TB Partnership: | Stop TB communications |
| If you were informed or referred by another partner of the Stop TB Partnership please tell us who: | |
| Why do you wish join the Stop TB Partnership: | Network with other partners |
| Are you a member of a Stop TB national partnership: | No |
| Are you in contact with your national TB programme: | Yes |
| Please tell us how your organization is contributing to your country's national TB control plan: | |
| DHF formed a strategic partnership that supports the implementation of all activities required and undertaken, to improve the lives of all South Africans holistically. This collaboration has a documented track record of success working within our communities, together with other national and international stakeholders. In addition, DHF has developed a network of Healthcare Workers, NGOs, CBOs and Faith based organizations that will support advocacy and educational activities in the community. Using this footprint, DHF hopes to use their experience with child friendly formulations obtained in KZN to other Provinces in South Africa and to other countries around the world. DHF have a proven track record of delivering high quality workshops and advocacy events with the KZN HAST unit and will be able to expand easily to the National level. |
|
Geographical Reach | |
| Which country is your headquarters located in: | South Africa |
| Which countries do you do operate in: (This includes countries you are conducting activities in) |
South Africa |
Contribution | |
| Please tell us how your organization will contribute to the Global Plan to Stop TB by briefly describing its involvement in any of the areas of work listed below: | |
|
TB Care Delivery: Nutritional Support Programme for patients diagnosed with drug resistant (DR) and drug sensitive (DS) TB patients - Nov 2020 to Feb 2022. DHF was commissioned to provide nutritional food hampers to DR-TB and DS-TB patients throughout eThekwini. In addition, DHF social workers had provided psychosocial support to these patients, aiming at improve treatment adherence and treatment outcomes. Approximately 8000 nutritional support packs had been distributed to patients between Nov 2020 and Feb 2022. Drug-Resistant TB: DHF has attended and hosted various advocacy events throughout KZN, whereby educational messages, educational books and educational games were distributed, in order to spread the correct and relevant information throughout the communities. Events were held in areas such as; Mobile Point Clinic, Umbumbulu, Umzinyathi, Groutville, Inanda, Emona, Sydenham, Umlazi, Molweni, Folweni and Marianhill to name a few.These where held from November 2018 to present. TB-HIV: DHF have hosted various events in schools throughout KZN, whereby our team of Social Workers, Lay Councillors and support team, engage with children, caregivers and educators, about pressing health issues in their schools. Teenage pregnancy, bullying, gender based violence, self-defence, HIV/AIDS, TB, COVID-19 and other communicable and non-communicable diseases have been a hot topic in these schools, crèches and community centres. Children, caregivers and educators are provided with a meal, as well as prizes for students who listen attentively and correctly answer questions throughout the event. DHF have thus far visited 16 schools, crèches or community centres and reached out to, in excess of, 2000 community members and/or children. New TB Drugs: Roll out of and Research Study on Child-Friendly Formulation TB Medicines DHF and THN has facilitated the roll out of child friendly formulations of Tuberculosis medication in KwaZulu Natal (KZN). Shriya Misra is the principle investigator in a 2 phased acceptability study to assess the end user acceptability of the child friendly formulations in an injection free regimen in KZN, South Africa (SA) together with Dr. J. Furin (Sentinel Projects). The acceptability work being done in South Africa has led to the development of successful assessment tools and yielded important pilot data that has guided acceptability assessments in other countries (i.e. India). Research: Child Friendly Formulations – improving access and acceptability research DHF has been actively involved in lobbying for child friendly formulations of DR TB medicine in South Africa. Working at the Centralized DR TB hospital in KZN that manages the largest cohort of children with DR TB, DHF has been assisting with the development of training material for caregivers and healthcare workers on the different second line DR TB medicine that is used in SA. DHF assisted with a review of the electronic DR TB register of children less than 6 years that were started on treatment in the previous 2 years in order to assist with quantification of the needs for the child friendly formulations. Following the acceptance of a donation of child friendly formulations of Ethambutol, Pyrazinamide and Levofloxacin to the KZN DOH from the GDF Stop TB Partnership programme, DHF has been working closely with children, caregivers, nurses and doctors to optimize the use of the new formulations. “Taste and Tell” workshops were held with the doctors, nurses and pharmacists to determine the best way to administer the child friendly formulations. Standard operating procedures for nurses, pharmacists and prescribers were drafted and training held. Shriya Misra from THN is the Principle investigator, together with Dr. Jennifer Furin (Sentinel Project) and Dr. Nirupa Misra (Pharmacy Manager at the centralized DR TB hospital) in a two phase research study focusing on children with DR TB. The study includes a retrospective arm that describes the demographics, treatment regimen, side effects and outcomes in children that were prescribed adult formulations of second line DR TB medicine that had to be manipulated to obtain the correct doses. DHF staff assisted with clinical audits of the folders of children that started DR TB treatment and data extraction. In phase 2, DHF staff led a successful qualitative acceptability study to assess end –user acceptability of child friendly formulations. Shriya has trained a cadre of youth to conduct focus group discussions with caregivers, children and healthcare workers to identify challenges experienced with the adult formulations and the child friendly formulations. 13 focus group discussions have been held and the data is being analysed with the intention of publications emanating from the research shortly. DHF has also worked with Sentinel Project to share the materials developed as part of this acceptability assessment with colleagues in India (New Delhi and Mumbai) so that they can develop their own acceptability assessments of the child-friendly formulations in the Indian context. Focus Group Discussions for Child Friendly Formulation DHF hosted workshops for a group of research assistants and volunteers, whereby the skills for focus group discussions were learnt. This team of research assistants learnt critical skills in order to host a discussion and obtain the most information necessary for the study in question. These research assistants then conducted 15 focus group discussions, with various groups of caregivers of children with TB. The aim of these discussions were to assess the treatment journey and experiences of the caregiver and the child diagnosed with TB, as well as the acceptability of the medication used, whether adult or child formulation. These discussions were recorded and analysed, to extract the most relevant information to improve the treatment of TB in children overall. |
|
Declaration | |
| Declaration of interests: N/A | |
| Application date: | April 6, 2022 |
| Last updated: | April 6, 2022 |