Chinniah Valerie, Maharaj Ashika
Discipline of Human Resource Management, College of Law and Management Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.
Health SA. 2025 Apr 9;30:2846. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v30i0.2846. eCollection 2025.
The Cuban-South African medical collaboration, initiated in the early 1990s, aims to address the shortage of medical doctors, particularly in remote and rural South Africa, thereby contributing to achieving health-related outcomes for universal health coverage.
This study focusses on the perceptions of programme administrators of the systemic barriers in coordinating the Cuban-South African medical collaboration programme.
The main site for this study is the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Nelson Rohihlahla Mandela School of Medicine. It is the only medical university located in KwaZulu-Natal.
A qualitative exploratory design was employed to understand the barriers to coordinating the programme. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews with participants at the medical school. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
The study revealed several barriers that hinder the smooth operation of the programme, such as incomplete documentation and delays in registration, delays in equipment distribution and transportation complications because of registration issues, language barriers, connectivity issues, and the need for provisions during load shedding and water shortages.
Addressing these barriers is crucial for improving the overall experience of the cohort students, who play a vital role in enhancing human resources for health, driving health reforms and supporting primary healthcare in South Africa.
The study provides recommendations to enhance the programme's effectiveness. These measures are essential for ensuring the sustainability and success of the Cuban-South African medical collaboration programme.
古巴与南非的医学合作始于20世纪90年代初，旨在解决医生短缺问题，特别是南非偏远和农村地区的医生短缺问题，从而有助于实现全民健康覆盖的健康相关目标。
本研究聚焦于项目管理人员对古巴-南非医学合作项目协调中系统性障碍的看法。
本研究的主要地点是夸祖鲁-纳塔尔大学纳尔逊·罗利赫拉赫拉·曼德拉医学院。它是夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省唯一的医科大学。
采用定性探索性设计来了解项目协调中的障碍。采用目的抽样法选择参与者。通过对医学院参与者进行半结构化访谈来收集数据。使用主题分析法对数据进行分析。
研究揭示了阻碍该项目顺利运作的几个障碍，如文件不完整和注册延迟、由于注册问题导致设备分发延迟和运输并发症、语言障碍、连接问题以及在限电和缺水期间的物资需求。
解决这些障碍对于改善 cohort 学生的整体体验至关重要，他们在加强南非卫生人力资源、推动卫生改革和支持初级卫生保健方面发挥着至关重要的作用。
该研究为提高项目有效性提供了建议。这些措施对于确保古巴-南非医学合作项目的可持续性和成功至关重要。
