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UFS CHSR&D drives research to advance stronger health systems

21 October 2024 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Stephen Collett

Centre for Health Systems Research & Development team — For more than three decades, the Centre for Health Systems Research & Development (CHSR&D) has been actively involved in efforts to strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes through its research and community engagement initiatives. Pictured are members of the CHSR&D team. From the left: Prof Gladys Kigozi-Male, Bridget Smit, Dr Ngwi Mulu, and Prof Michelle Engelbrecht. Absent, Prof Christo Heunis.

The Centre for Health Systems Research & Development (CHSR&D) at the University of the Free State (UFS) has played a key role in health systems research in South Africa. Established in 1993, the centre is built on a strong foundation of medical sociology and the sociology of health, addressing some of the most critical challenges in public health. For more than three decades, the centre has been actively involved in efforts to strengthen health systems and improve health outcomes through its research and community engagement initiatives.

The centre’s primary mission is clear: to generate and disseminate scientific knowledge that informs and improves health policies, strategies, and practices at the local, provincial, and national levels. As health systems worldwide continue to grapple with new and emerging challenges, the CHSR&D has positioned itself as a critical resource for evidence-based solutions that drive progress towards improved health outcomes. The centre also provides postgraduate training and capacity building that contributes to expanding expertise in health, health systems, and health-care research and development.

Focus on priority health programmes

According to Prof Michelle Engelbrecht, Director of the centre and an Associate Professor, the CHSR&D’s research portfolio covers a wide range of issues that are critical to the development of a strong health system. “The centre focuses on areas such as public health policy implementation and operational functioning, human resources for health, occupational health, and priority health programmes such as tuberculosis (TB) and HIV prevention and control, sexual and reproductive health, as well as mental health. In response to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, the centre prioritised research to enhance understanding of this global crisis. Notable studies from the past five years include COVID-19 vaccine literacy and acceptability, the psychological well-being of nurses during the second wave of COVID-19, and the impact of COVID-19 on essential health services in the Free State. Additionally, over the past five years, the centre has focused on the increased co-morbidity between TB and mental health, aiming to develop more holistic approaches to TB treatment towards improved TB programme performance.”

One of the CHSR&D's most impactful initiatives is its work in sexual and reproductive health, specifically its programme aimed at including men in the pregnancy and birth process. Historically, men have often been excluded from prenatal, childbirth, and postnatal care, which can negatively affect the health of mothers and babies. The centre is working to change this by advocating for men’s involvement in all stages of the pregnancy and birth process, creating a more supportive environment for expectant mothers and improving family health outcomes. By focusing on developing support systems and resources for men to participate actively in reproductive health, they are also working to shift policies and cultural norms that have traditionally sidelined male involvement in these critical moments.

As the world continues to confront the challenges posed by universal access to health care, South Africa is undertaking the greatest experiment ever in attempting to equalise access to quality health care by treating health care not as a commodity, but as a human right, namely through the implementation of National Health Insurance (NHI). Prof Christo Heunis, also an Associate Professor in the centre, says that the CHSR&D’s work in these areas is more important than ever. “If NHI is to be successful, (public) health systems strengthening is required. Health-related research and development, as well as the capacity to conduct such research and development – to inform health systems strengthening – is the fundamental purpose of CHSR&D.”

Collaboration with communities

Engaging with the community is at the heart of the CHSR&D’s work. The centre has a long history of working with local communities to identify health priorities and develop solutions that are responsive to the needs of those they serve. Prof Gladys Kigozi-Male, an Associate Professor as well, notes that this commitment ensures that the centre's work is not only academically thorough, but also practically relevant and impactful.

The CHSR&D also works closely with key partners and collaborators to expand the reach and impact of its research. “The centre has a longstanding partnership with the Free State Department of Health and is actively involved in the Provincial Health Research Committee. These collaborations allow the centre to contribute to health systems strengthening in meaningful ways, particularly through citizen-centred assessment of public health-care service delivery,” adds Prof Kigozi-Male.

In addition to its local collaborations, the centre partners with international academic institutions such as the University of South Carolina (USA) and Makerere University in Kampala (Uganda). These partnerships enable the CHSR&D to exchange knowledge and best practices with global health experts, further enhancing the quality and impact of its research. Civil society organisations such as Mosamaria Aids Ministry, Sonke Gender Justice, and loveLife also play a critical role in the centre’s work, helping to bridge the gap between research and implementation on the ground.

Quality, reliability, and future goals

"At the Centre for Health Systems Research & Development, we align with the UFS’ Vision 130, which emphasises transformation and an outward approach. We are dedicated to engaging with local and regional communities, pursuing knowledge that addresses the needs and aspirations of the Free State, South Africa, and the broader African continent. Our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of quality and reliability in our research is unwavering. By employing a variety of methodological approaches – quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods – we ensure that our research findings are comprehensive and can confidently inform health policies and strategies," notes Prof Engelbrecht.

In conclusion, the CHSR&D remains a critical player in the landscape of public health research and development. Its commitment to high-quality research ensures that it will continue to drive progress in health systems development and improve health outcomes for the foreseeable future. CHSR&D staff are dedicated to providing high-quality postgraduate supervision, undertaking necessary research to strengthen health systems, producing internationally impactful publications, and remaining locally and regionally relevant.

News Archive

Johann Naudé talks at first Beyers Naudé lecture for 2012

2012-08-02

At the event were, from the left: Ms Bontle Senne, Managing Director for the PUKU Children’s Literature Foundation, Mr Sipho Hlongwane, writer and columnist for the Daily Maverick, Prof. Nicky Morgan, Vice-Rector: Operations at the UFS, Mr Themba Mola, Chief Operations Officer at Kagiso Trust, Mr Johann Naudé, son of Dr Beyers Naudé, and Dr Choice Makhetha, Vice-Rector: External Relations.
Photo: Stephen Collett
2 August 2012

The University of the Free State (UFS) together withKagiso Trust, presented the first Beyers Naudé lecture for 2012 on its South Campus in Bloemfontein last week. Speakers like Dr Wilmot James, Member of Parliament, Mr Johann Naudé, son of Dr Beyers Naudé, Mr Sipho Hlongwane, writer and columnist for the Daily Maverick and Ms Bontle Senne, Managing Director for the PUKU Children’s Literature Foundation, all gave a lecture around this year’s theme: Collaborative partnerships for social cohesion: Building a nation with ethics.

Dr Beyers Naudé played a major role in the formation of Kagiso Trust. His contribution to the trust and the fight against oppression in South Africa, as well as his challenging of the establishment from which he came, makes him one of South Africa’s courageous heroes. Kagiso Trust thus saw it fit to celebrate the life of this clerical activist through a Memorial Lecture The Beyers Naudé Memorial Lecture is an effort by the Trust to engage South Africans into a dialogue about issues affecting our nation.

Mr Johann Naudé talked about the lessons they as children learnt from their parents as well as his father’s decision to respond to the needs of the people in South Africa. Even before the Sharpeville Massacre, Dr Naudé began a self-transformation that led to his rejection of apartheid. “Apartheid had no theological or scriptural grounds and my father decided to resign from the church. After that, he started to talk openly against apartheid and he also paid the price for that. For seven years he was under house arrest and we as his children also felt the effect of his decision. At the University of Pretoria in a residence where I stayed as a student I was called in and told that I would be treated as an outcast. Loans and jobs were also closed for us as children and as a result, we all started our own businesses,” Mr Naudé said.

“Furthermore, our parents taught us to believe in ourselves. He also said we have rights and we can only demand those rights if we take the responsibility that goes with it. My father also taught us to honour and to respect our fellow men, elderly people and the culture of people different from us. We were also taught to apologise for the wrongs to our fellow men and to acknowledge earnestly that we were wrong.”

Dr Wilmot James said that there were two things consistent in the life of Dr Beyers Naudé, namely justice and fairness. “There are many Nelson Mandelas and Beyers Naudés out there. It is the responsibility of political parties and institutions to motivate such leadership. We must ask ourselves: Are my actions and decisions ethical and will they have fair consequences?” Dr James said.

Mr Hlongwane focused his presentation on the ethics part of the theme. He said: “We in South Africa fall very short of ethics. We can start by respecting each other and taking care of one another. The Constitution will not mean a thing if we fail to respect and trust one another. We will have no cohesive society if we continue to treat those different from us like dirt. It is also our ethical duty to build up the disadvantaged.

In her discussion, Ms Senne emphasised the role of the youth in South Africa. “Our youth is failing our state because our state is failing our youth. Their role is to bring cohesion and acts of courageousness to the table. For them to contribute in a practical and sustainable manner, they need to start making the changes they want to see in society. They are young people and they can make it work because they do have access to the necessary means (social networks) to get things done. They must get involved,” she said.

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