2009 Mindset Health Awards bigger and better

2009 Mindset Health Awards bigger and better

Fourth year in running, the 2009 Mindset Health Site Awards recognized and rewarded the hard work done by health care practitioners. The event was held in Braamfontein and delegates represented seven provinces coming from small rural clinics and big city hospitals. The two day event was characterised by sharing of information, joy and excitement by hard working health professionals who work in the public health system.

Mindset Health was founded in response to the need for the critical health related education not only to the public but also to health care workers as a means to complementing their efforts at delivering quality health service to the public. Content for the public is developed in broadcast format and usually has an element of entertainment in it for the purpose of holding the attention of its target audience. On Health care workers content on the other hand comes in three complimentary formats namely; Interactive Multi Media (IMM), video and worksheets.

Thus far, Mindset Network installed 400 plus sets of a television and a decoder in the waiting rooms of clinics, hospitals and health centres. A satellite dish is also mounted at the appropriate place outside the building. Content is then broadcast into these locations from Mindset’s broadcast centre.

Content for health care workers is distributed somewhat differently. In this case the hardware for Datacast- in the form of a server, a screen, a keyboard and a mouse- is deployed in the nurse’s room of the clinic, hospital or health centre. Health care workers can thus access the content on demand as there are no broadcast schedules as is the case with the public platform.

The Awards therefore aims to encourage usage of the content by health care workers and the event was designed to also reward finalists with prizes and information relevant to their work environment.

Mindset Health would like to once again thank partners such as USAID, PEPFAR, Johns Hopkins Health and Education South Africa, John Snow Inc, Sunset Satellite and the national Department of Health for participating. Furthermore, a warm gratitude to our finalists who came from all walks of South Africa for the event.

Anton Van Rensburg

Prizes were given to the following sites:

Site of the Year Public: Tafalofefe Hospital, Maki Lekgwete Clinic, and Lesedi Clinic.

Site of the Year – HCP: Polokwane Hospital, Umtata H C - 14 SAI BN, and Umphumulo Hospital.

Site Managers of the Year are from: Boitumelo Reg Hospital, Walmer 14 Health Center, and General Dela Ray Hospital.

Mindset Champions are from: Randburg Clinic, Rob Ferreira Hospital, and Bloemfontein National.

New Site of the Year: Eva Mota Clinic, HA Grove Hospital, and Ermelo Hospital.

By Goodman Chauke